[en] The pace of electric industry restructuring has become more deliberate in 1997. This brief article and accompanying table describe the advance of restructuring across the US as of early September 1997, and continue the series of topical summaries by exploring retail competition pilot programs and lessons learned. Eight states have now enacted substantive restructuring legislation, Maine and Nevada were recently added to the list

[en] In Garland versus Consumer Gas, the Supreme Court of Canada in October 1998 ruled that the late payment penalties (LPP) charged by Consumer Gas constitute a criminal interest rate, contrary to Section 347 of the Criminal Code. The decision was unexpected in as much as the LPP had been continuously approved by the Ontario Energy Board since its adoption in 1975. This case is used here as an illustration of how consumers, who possess little bargaining power, may be protected from usurious penalties and charges for late payment. An examination of the legislative history surrounding the adoption of Section 347 of the Criminal Code, and a review of relevant Canadian case law with emphasis on the Supreme Court's reasoning with respect to the LPP in the Garland case, is followed by a comparison of Canadian experience with consumer protection in the United States and the United Kingdom. Policy implications of the Garland case from a consumer perspective are examined in general, and in terms of various industries as may be found in policy statements of specific companies. Recommendations are offered suggesting actions that may be taken to further protect consumers from exploitative credit arrangements.48 refs

[en] The Propane Excellence Program is a voluntary effort by companies and individuals who produce and market propane or transport propane on behalf of propane producers and marketers. It is being organized by the industry to allow for the realization of the full potential of propane as a safe and environmentally appropriate fuel. The program represents a new way of doing business by encouraging an industry-wide commitment to quality and performance. In terms of products, the program covers propane and propane transporting, storing, consuming and servicing products and services. A Code of Practice is currently being drawn up, and members will be asked to commit to the Code and implement it through a Quality Management Program. An annual fee-for-service-based audit of performance is envisaged. Expected benefits of the program include better management of costs, incident and accident reduction, greater customer satisfaction, increased credibility with government and the public, and greater employee satisfaction. Implementation is planned for June 30, 1998

[en] In spite of the outstanding advantages pointed out in the early privatization period in Croatia, the course of development taken by liberalized energy markets in Europe poses a number of threats of bankruptcy to large energy consumers. The paper presents several ways of combating these threats.(author)

No abstract available

[en] The views of the parties involved in the conflict between the banks and the energy utilities on collecting the fees from the consumers are presented and discussed. The argument has entered into a new stage, marked by legal action. Although the utilities can understand the banks' wish to introduce fixed collecting fees for a number of instruments of payment, they disapprove of the reasons given by the banks, the envisaged rates, the liability analysis and the compensation offered by the banks

[en] Using an agent-based modeling approach we study the temporal dynamics of consumer opinions regarding switching to dynamic electricity tariffs and the actual decisions to switch. We assume that the decision to switch is based on the unanimity of τ past opinions. The resulting model offers a hypothetical, yet plausible explanation of why there is such a big discrepancy between consumer opinions, as measured by market surveys, and the actual participation in pilot programs and the adoption of dynamic tariffs. We argue that due to the high indifference level in today's retail electricity markets, customer opinions are very unstable and change frequently. The conducted simulation study shows that reducing the indifference level can result in narrowing the intention–behavior gap. A similar effect can be achieved by decreasing the decision time that a consumer takes to make a decision. - Highlights: • We propose an agent-based model to study the adoption of dynamic electricity tariffs. • The decision to change the tariff is based on the unanimity of τ past opinions. • The model explains why the empirically observed intention–behavior gap exists. • The adoption of dynamic tariffs is impossible due to the high level of indifference in today's societies. • Reducing the indifference level or decreasing the decision time can result in narrowing the gap

[en] Whether the goal is customer loyalty to a competitive energy service provider or customer satisfaction with monopoly distribution services, service guarantees must be seen as one way a company can communicate with its customers about the relationship it has (or wants) with them. In short, service guarantees must be evaluated as part of a company's overall brand management strategy. To do this, a conceptual framework within which to develop and link models of service delivery and brand management is needed. This means seeing both as examples of inference management. In this article the authors first interpret findings from their research on utility service guarantees in light of the model of service delivery proposed by Smith, Bolton, and Wagner. The authors then situate this model within their own model of utility brand management. The resulting approach can be used by a utility to evaluate whether and how to adopt service guarantees as part of its overall branding strategy

No abstract available

[en] In this article we compare recent findings from focus group research on electricity information disclosure in Switzerland with consumer research in the US. On the basis of the results, we provide an overview of disclosure schemes in the US and in Europe. Our aim is to summarize the key issues of electricity disclosure from a residential customer's point of view and to underline the potential of consumer research for energy policy making. The results are as follows: Consumer preferences for electricity disclosure are very similar in Switzerland and the US. There is a basic demand for trustworthy information and market transparency. Consumers want to compare electricity products with regard to price, generation sources, and environmental and contractual attributes. Thus, the disclosure of critical information is important to improve competition by increasing consumer confidence in their ability to choose among electricity offerings. Even more, electricity disclosure is a key element of consumer protection in general, and is a useful educational tool in regulated electricity markets