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Law & Lawyers

Brownout Credit Card Cost Connecticut Utility

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has asked the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control to order a one-time, 25-percent credit on bills of Connecticut Light & Power customers, claiming the threat of brownouts and blackouts has reduced service quality. That translates into about $33 million in customer credits.

Blumenthal also asked that the DPU order additional credits of the greater of $10, or 15 percent, in any month with one day of brownouts or blackouts, and $15 or 20 percent, for two days of problems.

Byline: 
Lori A. Burkhart
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Water Infrastructure Agreement Reached

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has entered a cooperative agreement with the state's Infrastructure Investment Authority to better coordinate efforts by both agencies to improve the viability of small water and wastewater systems across the state.

The commission said many small systems had not increased rates when needed and had become unprofitable. The systems had been unable to acquire financing to make improvements to maintain good service quality and to meet future regulatory challenges.

Byline: 
Phillip S. Cross
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Boston Edison, Central Maine Invite Bids for Plants

Central Maine Power Co. has sent requests for proposals to all parties expressing an interest in purchasing the utility's generation assets, as provided for by recently enacted state legislation.

Also, Boston Edison Co. has unveiled its proposal for divesting its gas- and oil-fueled generating plants, and has submitted its divestiture plan to the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. The plan reflects a settlement among the utility, Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger and the Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources.

Interest in Hydro.

Byline: 
Lori A. Burkhart
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Hoecker Takes FERC Helm, Makes Assignments

At his first meeting as chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, James Hoecker announced that he was assigning responsibility for certain important issues to FERC members.

At the June 25 meeting, Hoecker assigned the key responsibility for reliability issues to Commissioner Vicky Bailey. Bailey will track reliability developments at NERC, DOE and around the nation. Hoecker assigned responsibility for merger policy issues to Commissioner William Massey. Commissioner Donald Santa Jr. and General Counsel Susan Tomasky were assigned the oversight of FERC's complaint procedures.

Byline: 
Lori A. Burkhart
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Orange & Rockland Restructuring Needs PSC Help

Orange and Rockland Utilities has expressed "extreme disappointment" with a preliminary decision issued by a judge at the New York Public Service Commission that concerns O&R's proposed electric restructuring settlement. (See, Case 96-E-0900, Opinion No. 96-12.)

On July 2, Administrative Law Judge Stewart C. Boschwitz ruled that unwillingness by O&R to divest its generation company would create potential anti-competitive situations and could hurt ratepayers.

Byline: 
Lori A. Burkhart
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NRC Watch List Sits at 13

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has identified 13 nuclear plants that warrant increased NRC regulatory attention. These plants will remain on the NRC "watch list."

No additional nuclear plants were added to the NRC watch list. But one plant - Indian Point 3, operated by the New York Power Authority - was removed from the list. Indian Point 3 had been placed on the list in June 1993, and now has been removed due to improved performance.

Byline: 
Lori A. Burkhart
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Despite Mandate, Phone Competition Still on Hold

Nearly a year and a half after passage of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, real competition has yet to emerge in Indiana in local telephone markets, according to a report issued by the Indiana Regulatory Commission.

Nevertheless, the U.R.C. says it anticipates making competitive choices available to local consumers in the coming months.

Byline: 
Lori A. Burkhart
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In Brief...

Sound bites from state and federal regulators.

Refusal to Wheel. Federal judge allows rural electric co-op to proceed with antitrust suit against PacifiCorp, ruling that doctrine of state action immunity does not insulate a regulated investor-owned electric utility from antitrust action for allegedly refusing to sell to sell power to others for resale to customers, or for allegedly refusing to wheel power generated by other suppliers.

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Coalition Offers Alternative to Michigan PSC Plan

A coalition of Michigan electric utility customer groups and other entities has proposed an electric restructuring bill in lieu of the plan adopted by the Michigan Public Service Commission on June 5.

"Six months ago, many from this same group came together to point out that the commission's plan, if implemented, would be too slow, would favor the state's largest utilities and would result in few, if any, real savings for customers," said David Dornbos Sr., chair of Association of Businesses Advocating Tariff Equity.

Byline: 
Lori A. Burkhart
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Pipeline Customers To Get Storage Gas at Cost

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has upheld a ruling by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requiring an interstate pipeline company to sell excess low-cost storage gas supplies to its sales customers at cost, on the theory that ratepayers who bear risk for losses in industry restructuring should retain gains from the same process.

The pipeline, Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Co., had found that excess gas was available after it had cut sales operations as part of the market restructuring ordered by the FERC.

Byline: 
Phillip S. Cross
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