PUC Reviews Consumer Protections

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has launched a review of its regulations that control how electricity generators and service providers interact and how both of them interact with consumers. PUC Spokesperson Jennifer Kocher says the regulations have not been updated since 2000 and the commissioners felt too much had changed then to let them stand without review. The move comes at a time when about 40% of the state has seen rate caps expire. Just about all of the remainder of the state, including most of Western Pennsylvania, will see their rate caps expire by the end of the year. Kocher says some of the regulations may not be needed with the new competitive environment but that same environment may warrant some new regulations. The PUC is in the process of reviewing the regulations and taking input form all interested parties. Those reviews and recommendations will be used to craft new draft regulations, which will then be sent back out for public hearings before a final vote is taken. Kocher says there is no timeline for the work. The review includes the Competitive Safeguards Regulations at 52 Pa. Code §§ 54.121 – 123.