2022 -- H 7800

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LC005248

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

     

     Introduced By: Representative Joseph J. Solomon

     Date Introduced: March 03, 2022

     Referred To: House Finance

     (Division of Public Utilities and Carriers)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 39-1-26 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-1 entitled "Public Utilities

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Commission" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     39-1-26. Public utilities reserve fund created -- Appropriations -- Recovery of

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expenses from utility companies.

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     (a) There is hereby created a fund to be known as the public utilities reserve account, an

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account within the public utilities commission in the general fund. Such account, hereinafter

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referred to as the "fund," shall be used for the purpose of providing the financial means for the

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commission and division to purchase materials, and to employ on a contract or other basis, legal

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counsel, official stenographers, engineers, accountants, economists, and other expert witnesses, and

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for other necessary expenses of the commission and division in investigations and hearings related

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to applications and filings made by public utilities, or commission- or division-initiated

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investigations into utility operating practices, or related appeals to state or federal courts or in

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relevant regulatory matters before federal agencies. The general assembly shall annually

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appropriate to the fund a sum equal to twenty-five one thousandths of one percent (.00025%) of

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the gross, annual operating revenues of gas, electric, and telephone companies attributable to their

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conduct of intrastate operations in this state during the year next preceding; provided, however, that

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if at June 30, in any year the balance in the fund shall be in excess of one hundred thousand dollars

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($100,000), the amount of the excess shall forthwith be transferred to the general fund of the state.

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Prebilled revenue shall be excluded from an excess balance to be transferred to the general fund.

 

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The state controller is authorized and directed to draw his or her orders upon the general treasurer

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for the payment from the fund of such sums as may be required from time to time upon receipt by

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him or her of proper vouchers approved by the administrator.

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     (b) The public utility making an application or filing to the commission or division, or

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subject to a commission- or division-initiated investigation, or any public utility distributing

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electricity or gas whose retail rates would be affected by a proceeding before an agency of the

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federal government or a federal court, shall be charged with and shall pay a portion of the expenses

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reasonably so incurred by the commission and by the division for the purchase of materials and for

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the employment of legal counsel, official stenographers, engineers, accountants, and expert

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witnesses, and for travel and other necessary expenses as are reasonably attributable to the

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investigation or the hearing of the proposal by the commission and the division, or to the

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administrator's representation of the state before federal or state courts or an agency of the federal

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government. The administrator or the commission chairperson, as appropriate, shall ascertain the

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expenses and shall determine the amount to be paid by the public utility company or companies,

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and bills shall be rendered therefor either at the conclusion of the investigation or hearing, or from

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time to time during its progress, and the amount of each bill so rendered shall be paid by the public

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utility to the administrator or the commission, as appropriate, within thirty (30) days from the date

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of its rendition unless, within the thirty-day (30) time period, the public utility so billed shall request

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an opportunity to be heard by the commission as to the amount thereof. The commission shall

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comply with any such request. Any amount of the bill not paid within thirty (30) days from the date

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of service of the determination upon the hearing, or, if none shall be requested, within thirty (30)

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days from the date of rendition of the bill, shall draw interest at the rate of twelve percent (12%)

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per annum. At the discretion of the administrator, or the commission chairperson, as appropriate,

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utility companies may be prebilled for contractual services utilized by the commission or division.

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Any revenue received from public utilities not expended upon the completion of the case will be

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promptly reimbursed to the utility company. The total amount that may be charged to any public

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utility under authority of this section for proceedings before the commission or division or in related

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appeals before state or federal courts in any calendar year shall not exceed seven hundred and fifty

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thousand dollars ($750,000), provided, however, that any for utilities with gross intrastate

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operating revenues exceeding four hundred million dollars ($400,000,000) in any calendar year,

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the total amount charged shall be the greater of seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) or

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fifteen percent (0.15%) of the annual gross intrastate operating revenue indirect cost recovery

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obligations pursuant to ยง 35-4-27 shall constitute a separate and additional assessment to public

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utilities to be added to the foregoing expense assessment limit limits; in addition, the total amount

 

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that may be charged against any public utility under authority of this section for the administrator's

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representation of the state before agencies of the federal government in any calendar year shall not

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exceed two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) five hundred thousand dollars

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($500,000). All moneys collected by the administrator or the commission pursuant to this section

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shall be paid by him or her monthly to the general treasurer to be added to the public utilities reserve

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fund.

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     (c) The division of public utilities and carriers shall adopt by regulation, a fee schedule for

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all telecommunications filings, including initial applications and annual registrations, by

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telecommunications providers that are not otherwise subject to the provisions of subsection (a) or

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(b) of this section. The money assessed and paid shall be paid into the general fund and shall not

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be a part of the public utilities reserve fund.

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     (d) The general assembly shall annually appropriate such sums as it may deem necessary

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for the salaries of the commissioners and their expenses incurred in the performance of their duties,

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and for the operations of the commission and the division and payment of such office expenses and

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assistance as from time to time may be required. The state controller is authorized and directed to

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draw his or her orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of such sum, or so much thereof,

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as may be required from time to time upon receipt by him or her of vouchers approved by the

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administrator or his or her authorized agent.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

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     This act would amend the total amount of expenses that may be charged to a utility for

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those expenses related to a commission or division initiated investigation of public utilities with

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gross intrastate operating revenues exceeding four hundred million dollars ($400,000,000).

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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