Sound bites from state and federal regulators.
Contel Merger. California removes stay on Contel/GTE merger. Orders equal sharing of short- and long-term economic benefits between ratepayers and shareholders. Fessler dissents, finding that the utility "had not established an entitlement to 50 percent of these savings." A.90-09-043, Decision 96-04-053, Apr. 10, 1996 (Cal.P.S.C.).
Local Telephone Resale. California requires two of the state's major LECs to offer a broad range of services for resale at wholesale rates. Duque and Neeper dissent, pointing out that the LECs provide a service to competitors at discounts from prices already below their costs. R.95-04-043, I.95-04-044, Decision 96-03-020, Mar. 13, 1996 (Cal.P.U.C.).
Gas Supply Planning. Ohio directs LDC to review its 80-percent reliability factor for planning firm transportation capacity as possibly too conservative. Rejects $17-million refund to captive sales customers for "excess" pipeline capacity. Case No. 95-219-GA-GCR, Apr. 25, 1996 (Ohio P.U.C.).
Gas Affiliate Lease Revenues. Pennsylvania rejects ALJ decision directing LDC to refund $1.439 million to ratepayers for mistakes in its leasing practices with an affiliate production company. I-00860023, Apr. 17, 1996 (Pa.P.U.C.)
Heating and Cooling Programs. North Carolina permits LDC to implement high-efficiency natural gas heating and cooling program and to defer associated costs, as well as royalties or rebates, for accounting purposes. Docket No. G-9, Sub 377, May 30, 1996 (N.C.U.C.)