Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) is the public utility commission in Pennsylvania. It is composed of five commissioners, appointed by the Governor with the consent of the state Senate.[1] The PUC oversees public utility and services operations in the commonwealth, in sectors including water, energy, telecommunications, and transportation.

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
Agency overview
Preceding agency
  • Pennsylvania State Railroad Commission
    Pennsylvania Public Service Commission
JurisdictionState government of Pennsylvania
Agency executives
  • Gladys M. Brown, Chairman
  • Andrew G. Place, Vice Chairman
  • John F. Coleman, Jr., Commissioner
  • David Sweet, Commissioner
  • Ralph V Yanora, Commissioner
Websitewww.puc.pa.gov

State code requires separation of the five commissioners and an investigatory division.

History

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has roots in the founding of the Pennsylvania State Railroad Commission in 1907. The railroad commission was replaced in 1913 with the Pennsylvania Public Service Commission (PSC). Act 43 of 1937 replaced the Public Service Commission with the Public Utility Commission, with a charter to oversee and regulate all public utilities doing business in the Commonwealth.[2]

The PUC provided standards for metering of small alternative energy suppliers, such as solar and biodigesters, in June 2006. The standards lay out how electric distribution companies (EDC) reimburse small suppliers to the grid.[3]

The PUC oversees ordinances for Marcellus Shale gas exploration and extraction.[4] The commission is responsible for collecting and distributing the Impact fee within the state.[5]

In November 2014 the commission granted Uber with a two year experimental license to operate throughout the state.[6]

An annual survey by the PUC in 2014 found more than 23,000 Pennsylvania households without heat.[7]

In November 2018, the commission approved a new policy that clarified rules about how electric power is resold. The policy is part of an effort by the commission to promote investment in electric vehicle charging stations. Existing rules unintentionally limited public charging stations in the way that the electricity was priced and regulated.[8]

See also

References
  1. "PUC History" (PDF). www.puc.state.pa.us. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
  2. "A history of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission" (PDF). www.puc.state.pa.us. 2007. Retrieved 27 Jan 2015.
  3. "PUC Adopts Net Metering Rules to Connect Small Alternative Energy Generators to Electric Distribution System". www.puc.state.pa.us. 22 Jun 2006. Retrieved 26 Jan 2015.
  4. Janice Crompton (27 Sep 2012). "Resident challenges: PUC to review some local Marcellus drilling laws". /www.post-gazette.com. Retrieved 27 Sep 2015.
  5. "Act 13" (PDF). www.puc.state.pa.us.
  6. Christian Alexandersen (30 Dec 2014). "Uber speeds past Lyft in Pennsylvania approval process". Retrieved 26 Jan 2015.
  7. Kate Giammarise (Dec 29, 2014). "State survey finds more than 23,000 households in Pa. without heat". www.post-gazette.com. Retrieved 26 Jan 2015.
  8. Cusik, Marie. "PA Regulators Adopt New Policy, Clearing Confusion Over Electric Vehicle Charging Stations". Retrieved 2018-11-14.


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