# COMAR Title 20 — Public Service Commission

## Subtitle 53 — Competitive Electricity Supply

### Chapter 07 — Residential Customer Protection

#### Regulation .07 Advertising and Solicitations.

*COMAR 20.53.07.07*

A. Advertising Permitted.

  (1) A supplier may advertise its services.

  (2) A supplier may not engage in a marketing or trade practice that is unfair, false, misleading, or deceptive.

  (3) A supplier may not make an offer to an energy assistance household unless the offer is for a Commission-approved contract for energy assistance households.

B. Disclosures.

  (1) All supplier marketing or solicitation information, including that used by its agents or employees, shall include the supplier’s Maryland license number in a clear and conspicuous manner.

  (2) If a price is quoted, the following statements are required:

    (a) The price quoted is only for the specified commodity provided by the supplier; and

    (b) The price quoted does not include any tax, utility distribution charge, or other utility fee or charge.

  (3) A supplier may not make an offer to an energy assistance household unless the offer is for a Commission-approved contract for energy assistance households.

  (4) When offering green power for sale to residential customers, a supplier, except for those described in Public Utilities Article §7-707(g), Annotated Code of Maryland, shall, in a conspicuous manner and in at least 12-point font, disclose the following or a similar message approved by the Commission:

  (5) A supplier that includes the language provided shall have complied with the disclosure requirements of Public Utilities Article, §7-707(f) and (g), Annotated Code of Maryland.

The electricity delivered to your home is generated from a variety of sources, both renewable and nonrenewable. Energy from renewable resources, such as wind and solar, cannot be tracked directly into your home. Instead, the energy your home uses will support renewable energy sources through the purchase of renewable energy credits (“RECs”). A REC represents the environmental and social good associated with 1 megawatt hour of renewable electricity generation. RECs may be sold separately from the electricity itself, so the buyer of a REC may be different than the buyer of the electricity. In your contract, X% of the RECs qualify for Maryland’s renewable portfolio standard. By purchasing RECs that qualify for Maryland’s renewable portfolio standard, you are supporting renewable energy development in the region. Increased demand for, and generation of, renewable electricity can help reduce conventional electricity generation from fossil fuels in the region where the renewable electricity generator is located. It may also have other environmental benefits such as reducing regional air pollution.

C. Internet.

  (1) Internet Advertising. A supplier shall post on the Internet:

    (a) Readily understandable information about its services, prices, and emissions; and

    (b) A description of its supplier-consolidated billing offering, including a sample bill, if the supplier is licensed to provide supplier-consolidated billing services and is offering supplier-consolidated billing services.

  (2) Commission Website.

    (a) Suppliers shall submit open offers to the Commission’s website according to instructions provided by the Commission.

    (b) In the event of a discrepancy between a supplier’s open offer posted on the Commission’s website and the supplier’s corresponding open offer displayed on the supplier’s website, the supplier shall honor the terms that are more favorable to the customer.

D. Telephone Solicitation.

  (1) A supplier soliciting customers by telephone shall comply with all applicable State and federal law, including the Maryland Telephone Solicitations Act, Commercial Law Article, §§14-2201—14-2205, Annotated Code of Maryland.

  (2) A supplier may not conduct a residential customer telephone solicitation before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.