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This presentation examines the utility progress in enrolling eligible customers in the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program. It discusses historical enrollment rates, net enrollment, outreach effectiveness, and recommendations for increasing enrollment.
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CARECalifornia Alternate Rates for EnergyEnrollment Presentation to the Low Income Oversight Board June 25, 2009
Monitor CARE Enrollment To Assure 90% Goal by 2011 Met CARE is a key tool for customers having difficulty managing energy bills • In November 2008, the Commission required utilities to strive to enroll 90% of eligible customers by 2011 • In March 2009, DRA wrote to the Low Income Oversight Board, asking LIOB to monitor if utilities are on track to meet this goal This presentation checks utility progress against CPUC goals
Enrollment Historically Far From Goal November 2008: CPUC lowered target from 100% to 90%, based on the CA Low-Income Needs Assessment determination that roughly 10% of eligible customers are unwilling to participate (1) (1) D.02-07-033 p.4, D.08-11-031, Ordering Paragraph 89 (2) Despite having enrolled 184,783 customers January-May 2009, participation rate is 81% because 161,600 more households are estimated to be eligible for 2009 reporting purposes
Continued Positive Net Enrollment Brings Participation Rate to 81%
Net Enrollment Must Continue Increasing At Recent Pace In Order To Reach 90% • 4.1 million customers enrolled May 2009 90% in 2009 = 4.6 million customers (1) 90% in 2011 = 4.9 million customers (2) • Looking back at past year, IOUs increased CARE participation at the rate of 26,000 new customers monthly • If the IOUs continue adding CARE customers at this rate, reported enrollment will reach 85% by end 2009, 88% by 2010, and 91% by end 2011 (1) According to Utility reports through May 2009 (2) Assumption that CARE eligible population increase in 2008 (3.36%) continues for next 2 years
Positive Net Enrollment Requires Many More New Enrollments To Combat Attrition Net Enrollments = New Enrollments - Attrition
Monitor Progress Of All 3 Elements Contributing To Net Enrollment New Enrollments Via Automatic Methods • Inter-Utility Data Exchanges • Data Exchanges between Utility and other organizations serving low-income (LIHEAP, for example) • 1-E App • Others New Enrollments Via Outreach • Customer Service Representatives • Bill Inserts, Direct Mail • Online Applications • Referrals from Utility Employees • Third-Party Enrollment (Capitation) • Others Attrition • Close account/move out of service area • Do not recertify to stay in the program • Do not meet income guidelines for program (fail verification)
Is Outreach Becoming More Effective? • IOUs budgeted $13.8 million on CARE outreach in 2009 (36% budget increase over 2008) • Hard to see upward trend in new enrollments via outreach
Regarding Outreach, DRA Recommends: Target Hard-To-Reach Customers • Utilize local organizations that know the community Easier Enrollment • Fully deploy one-step, over-the-phone enrollment • Highlight “categorical” qualification option which only requires participation in another assistance program Capitalize on live telephone conversations with customers • Customer Service Representatives should verbally inform customers of CARE program during customer-initiated and IOU-initiated calls • Track consumer response to offers. Consider an offer accomplished only after customer enrolls or explicitly opts out of program (do not assume non-response to be a decline)
