The West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved a series of changes to its rules and regulations for gas utilities and gas pipeline safety. The changes include a new rule on customer deposits that calls for annual adjustment of the interest rate utilities pay on such deposits. The PSC explained that the change is designed to make the rate more market sensitive by tying it to U.S. Treasury Bill rates for the last quarter of the preceding year.
The rule changes also include: 1) a requirement that utilities offer deferred payment plans, 2) a prohibition on rate recognition of political advertising, 3) new regulations governing utility promotional practices, and 4) a requirement that utilities repay customer deposits when the customer has been delinquent for less than 12 months. Re Proposed Revisions to the Gas Rules, G.O. 185.12, May 22, 1996 (W.Va.P.S.C.). t
Phillip S. Cross is an associate legal editor of PUBLIC UTILITIES FORTNIGHTLY.
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