Press Release

PUC Seeks Comments on Medical Certificate Form and Reporting Requirements as Part of Act 155 Implementation

Published on 1/15/2015

Filed under: Electric Gas Water and Wastewater

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today voted to adopt a Tentative Implementation Order seeking comments related to the implementation of Act 155 of 2014 (Act 155).

Act 155, which amends Chapters 5, 14, 22 and 28 of the Public Utility Code, was signed into law on Oct. 22, 2014, by Gov. Tom Corbett. The Commission plans to address two areas related to Chapter 14 of the Public Utility Code (Responsible Utility Customer Protection) based on concerns for public health and safety:

• Termination of service no longer being permitted on a Friday; and
• The new definition of medical certificate now providing for physician assistants.

Chapter 14 is designed to protect responsible bill-paying customers from rate increases attributable to the uncollectible accounts of customers by providing public utilities with the collection mechanisms and procedures to promote timelier collections, while protecting vulnerable customers by ensuring that utility service remains available to all customers on reasonable terms and conditions. Chapter 14 applies to electric distribution utilities, water distribution utilities, natural gas distribution utilities, steam heat and wastewater utilities.

Act 155 also allows the PUC to establish annual fees to fund the Commission’s oversight of natural gas generation suppliers and electric generation suppliers. Regarding the other Chapters, it also allows the Commission to include the intrastate operating revenues of licensed entities in determining its budget cap, and to exclude from the budget cap funds received from the federal government and other sources to perform functions unrelated to the Commission’s jurisdictional regulation.

Interested parties have 30 days from the publication of the Order in the Pennsylvania Bulletin to provide written comments to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Attn: Secretary, P.O. Box 3265, Harrisburg, PA 17105-3265.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

For recent news releases and video of select Commission proceedings or more information about the PUC, visit our website at www.puc.pa.gov. Follow the PUC on Twitter – @PA_PUC for all things utility. “Like” PAPowerSwitch on Facebook for easy access to information on electric shopping.

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Docket No. M-2014-2448824

Contact:

• Deputy Press Secretary
  717-787-5722