On November 10, the Public Utility Commission published notice in the PA Bulletin inviting comments on an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the PUC’s regulations that address the Consumer Advisory Council in an effort to better enable the CAC to more effectively carry out its mission to advise the PUC on matters related to the protection of consumer interests.

On October 25, the Commissioners voted 4-1 to publish the ANOPR and initiate a public comment period.

A copy of the ANOPR also will be provided to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and the chairs of the House Consumer Affairs Committee and the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee, who make appointments to the CAC, as well as the Office of Consumer Advocate, the Office of Small Business Advocate, the PUC’s Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement, low-income advocates, current members of the Consumer Advisory Council, the Energy Association of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Telephone Association, for potential comment from those individuals and organizations.

Created in 1977 and codified in regulations, the CAC is a 12-member advisory committee intended to act as a source of information for the Commissioners by advising the PUC on matters relating to the protection of consumer interests.

The PUC seeks comment on ways to improve the CAC’s operational efficiency and clarify its duties, including addressing the diversity of Council membership; the CAC’s communications within and outside the PUC; Council members’ appointments and terms; CAC quorums and official action; ministerial changes to the Council including the frequency of meetings and Council’s composition; and whether the CAC may be better governed through Commission Order rather than regulations.

Interested parties may submit written comments on the Commission’s proposal up to 45 days from the date the ANOPR is published in the PA Bulletin (December 25).

Written comments should be submitted to: Public Utility Commission, Attn: Secretary Rosemary Chiavetta, 400 North St., Harrisburg, PA  17120 or through the PUC’s eFile System.

For more information, visit the PUC’s Consumer Advisory Council webpage.

[Posted: Nov. 9, 2018]

11/12/2018