fee for returning customers in proposed legislation a major bill for direct access at this time is sbxx 27 . this draft bill has language ( section 3 - part e ) that would allow the ca dwr to get a fee from direct access customers who return to utility service to avoid imposing costs on other customers or the state . esps would have to pay the fee if they send their customers back to bundled utility service . the fee would be " equivalent to any unvoidable costs imposed on the department ' s portfolio attributable to the load " of the returning customer . esps would be required to post a bond or demonstrate insurance coverage before they can serve customers . so far , this latter requirement only applies to esps who serve small customers , but i could envision this expanding to all esps .