The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court, issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of a TMI Regulatory Bulletin.
ENERGY
California
The PUC issued a Press Release outlining further steps to modernize the electric grid through non-utility owned energy resources. Said Commissioner Mike Florio, “This is one of the most important proceedings that the CPUC has launched in recent years, and the results will help to shape ‘the utility of the future’ in a manner that best serves the consumers of California.” Prospective changes to distribution planning processes will take into account the safety of utility personnel, first responders, inspectors, installers, and end-users. Interested parties may file responses to the questions asked in the Rulemaking by September 5, 2014. The CPUC’s Energy Division will hold a public workshop on
September 17, 2014.
New York
The PSC has established a policy that would allow for a 10-month expedited review process for future electric transmission projects that can be built within existing utility or State-owned rights of way. The new policy applies to electric transmission projects that are not likely to have significant environmental impacts and utilize existing transmission or state-owned rights-of-way. It encourages the use of advanced technologies that may increase the throughput of electric facilities that could potentially avoid the need for additional transmission facilities in the future.
ENERGY & TELECOM
California
The PUC opened a rulemaking to address Petition 14-02-010, filed by a group of electric utilities, telecommunications companies, labor unions, and others. The rulemaking proceeding will consider proposed amendments to General Order (GO) 95. The purpose of the proposed amendments is to improve safety, enhance reliability, increase efficiency, and correct errors in GO 95. [R.14-08-012]
TELECOM
FCC
The FCC has extended the deadline for filing reply comments on its proposed Net Neutrality/Open Internet rules. Reply comments are now due September 15, 2014. They had been due September 10, 2014. Since it had extended the due date for comments by three business days (see the Regulatory Mix dated 7/16/14), the FCC said it was also extending the reply comment date by three business days. This will provide parities with as much time as was initially anticipated to prepare their reply comments.
Texas
The PUC has opened a proceeding to revise Rule 26.111 concerning Certificates of Operating Authority (COA) and Service Provider Certificate of Operating Authority (SPCOA) criteria. The proposed amendment will clarify which parts of the rule do not apply to deregulated ILECs and CLECs operating in the ILEC’s deregulated markets. Among other things, the proposed amendments would significantly streamline the process by which such companies could discontinue service and relinquish their certification. Comments are due September 1, 2014; reply comments are due September 9, 2014.
