PUBLIC UTILITIES AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Distribution, Storage, and Sale of Gas: Allow 90 days for Commission Orders After a Hearing Regarding Electric Fuel Cost Recovery or Adoption or Amendment of Natural Gas Capacity Supply Plans; Authorize the Public Service Commission to Seek an Injunction Against the Violation of any Law Administered by the Commission; Change Accounting Procedures for Gas Utility Rate Proceedings; Clarify the Authority of the Commission to Initiate Proceedings to Detennine Certain Rates; Provide a Bill of Rights for Consumers; Provide for a Continuing Requirement of Financial and Technical Ability for Marketers; Prohibit Certain Methods Relating to Billing and Reading Meters; Provide that EMC Gas Affiliates are Eligible to Receive Certificates of Authority as Marketers; Provide for Terms and Conditions Governing the Relationship Between an Electric Membership Corporation and its EMC Gas Affiliate; Provide for a Reasonable Method of Rate Design; Provide that a Fee for Distribution Services Shall not be Required for Certain Billing Periods; Change a Provision Relating to an Electing Distribution Company's Revenues from Interruptible Distribution Service and Authorize a Surcharge on Certain Customers Receiving Interruptible Service; Require a Hearing Relating to Assignment of Interstate Capacity Assets; Set Out Minimum Requirements for Assignment of Interstate Capacity Assets and Provide for Authorizing Utilization of Excess Interstate Capacity Assets by an Electing Distribution Company; Authorize the Commission to Allocate the Cost of Lost and Unaccounted for Gas; Clarify and Change Provisions Relating to Changing Marketers; Change a Provision Relating to the Amount of Deposits Charged to Natural Gas Consumers; Require an Electing Distribution Company to Cooperate with Certificated Marketers and the Regulated Provider; Provide for Service Quality Standards for Electing Distribution Companies, Commission Review of Performance with Regard to such Standards, and Penalties; Set Rules Governing Marketers' Terms of Service, Disclosure by Marketers, the Contents of Consumer Bills, and Review for Compliance with such Rules; Create Remedies for Consumers Detained to be Victims of Slamming; Prohibit Estimated Bills, Unreasonable Late Fees, and Retroactive Rate Increases; Set Minimum Standards for Terms and Conditions for Certain Nonresidential Customers and Small Businesses; Assist Low Income Residential Consumers with Voluntary Contributions; Create the Natural Gas Consumer Education Advisory Board and Provide for the Duty, Members, Officers, Appointment of Members, and Expenses of Members of such Board; Provide for the Terms, Conditions, Rates, and Customers for Regulated Gas Services; Allow Reimbursements from the Universal Service Fund in Certain Circumstances

Authors

Buddy ToliverFollow
Jodie WhiteFollow

Document Type

Peach Sheet

Abstract

The Act increases the time period for the Public Service Commission (PSC) to issue orders regarding electric fuel cost recovery or natural gas capacity plans, authorizes the Commission to seek an injunction, clarifies the Commission's authority to initiate certain rate proceedings, and changes accounting procedures for gas utility rate proceedings. The Act also provides for a Consumers' Bill of Rights. The Act changes certain provisions relating to billing, reading meters, deposits, and changing marketers. The Act also prohibits charging distribution fees when a consumer's gas service is turned off. The Act provides remedies for slamming and prohibits estimated bills, unreasonable late fees, and retroactive rate increases. The Act also creates the Natural Gas Consumer Education Advisory Board, and provides for a private right of action and for the application of the Fair Business Practices Act of 1975. Finally, the Act changes certain provisions relating to the Universal Service Fund (USF) and provides for a regulated provider to serve low-income residential consumers and consumers unable to get service from marketers.

Recommended Citation

Buddy Toliver & Jodie White, PUBLIC UTILITIES AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Distribution, Storage, and Sale of Gas: Allow 90 days for Commission Orders After a Hearing Regarding Electric Fuel Cost Recovery or Adoption or Amendment of Natural Gas Capacity Supply Plans; Authorize the Public Service Commission to Seek an Injunction Against the Violation of any Law Administered by the Commission; Change Accounting Procedures for Gas Utility Rate Proceedings; Clarify the Authority of the Commission to Initiate Proceedings to Detennine Certain Rates; Provide a Bill of Rights for Consumers; Provide for a Continuing Requirement of Financial and Technical Ability for Marketers; Prohibit Certain Methods Relating to Billing and Reading Meters; Provide that EMC Gas Affiliates are Eligible to Receive Certificates of Authority as Marketers; Provide for Terms and Conditions Governing the Relationship Between an Electric Membership Corporation and its EMC Gas Affiliate; Provide for a Reasonable Method of Rate Design; Provide that a Fee for Distribution Services Shall not be Required for Certain Billing Periods; Change a Provision Relating to an Electing Distribution Company's Revenues from Interruptible Distribution Service and Authorize a Surcharge on Certain Customers Receiving Interruptible Service; Require a Hearing Relating to Assignment of Interstate Capacity Assets; Set Out Minimum Requirements for Assignment of Interstate Capacity Assets and Provide for Authorizing Utilization of Excess Interstate Capacity Assets by an Electing Distribution Company; Authorize the Commission to Allocate the Cost of Lost and Unaccounted for Gas; Clarify and Change Provisions Relating to Changing Marketers; Change a Provision Relating to the Amount of Deposits Charged to Natural Gas Consumers; Require an Electing Distribution Company to Cooperate with Certificated Marketers and the Regulated Provider; Provide for Service Quality Standards for Electing Distribution Companies, Commission Review of Performance with Regard to such Standards, and Penalties; Set Rules Governing Marketers' Terms of Service, Disclosure by Marketers, the Contents of Consumer Bills, and Review for Compliance with such Rules; Create Remedies for Consumers Detained to be Victims of Slamming; Prohibit Estimated Bills, Unreasonable Late Fees, and Retroactive Rate Increases; Set Minimum Standards for Terms and Conditions for Certain Nonresidential Customers and Small Businesses; Assist Low Income Residential Consumers with Voluntary Contributions; Create the Natural Gas Consumer Education Advisory Board and Provide for the Duty, Members, Officers, Appointment of Members, and Expenses of Members of such Board; Provide for the Terms, Conditions, Rates, and Customers for Regulated Gas Services; Allow Reimbursements from the Universal Service Fund in Certain Circumstances, 19 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. (2002).
Available at: https://readingroom.law.gsu.edu/gsulr/vol19/iss1/9