Order

              STATE OF ILLINOIS
ILLINOIS COMMERCE COMMISSION
Integrys Energy Services-Natural Gas, LLC
Petition for Relief to Protect Portions of TEGE LLC's Report of Continued Compliance as an Alternative Gas Supplier from disclosure for not less than two years in order to protect highly confidential and proprietary information.
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12-0074
ORDER
By the Commission:
On January 27, 2012, Integrys Energy Services-Natural Gas, LLC (“Petitioner”) filed with the Illinois Commerce Commission (“Commission”) a verified petition requesting an order protecting from disclosure for not less than two years confidential and proprietary information submitted in compliance with Commission rules. Specifically, 83 Ill. Adm. Code 551, “Certification of Alternative Gas Suppliers” (“Part 551”), requires alternative gas suppliers ("AGS") to annually demonstrate that they continue to possess the resources to serve residential or small commercial customers. Petitioner is an AGS and as such must comply with Part 551's reporting requirements.
The Commission received Petitioner’s Compliance Report on January 30, 2012. The Compliance Report included a copy of the latest ratings reports for Petitioner's parent (Integrys Energy Group, Inc.), the maximum daily amount of natural gas scheduled, a description of key managerial and technical personnel, and an organizational chart. Petitioner filed both a public redacted version and a confidential unredacted version of the Compliance Report. The only information redacted from the Compliance Report is Petitioner's maximum daily amount of natural gas scheduled in 2011.
On February 3, 2012, the Administrative Law Judge issued a ruling directing Petitioner to explain what harm it fears will occur if confidential treatment is not granted. On February 7, 2012, Petitioner filed its response to the ruling. Commission Staff did not participate in this docket. No petitions to intervene were received. Nor was a hearing held in this matter.
In its response to the ruling, Petitioner explains that the maximum daily amount of natural gas scheduled in 2011 is market sensitive. Petitioner fears that disclosure of the data would allow competitors to gauge its presence in the Illinois market and use the information in developing their own marketing strategies. Disclosure would also, Petitioner continues, allow a competitor to assess Petitioner’s presence vis-à-vis itself in