Chapter 277 Secs. 16-1 to 16-50f Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Public Utilities Regulatory Authority. Office of Consumer Counsel. Miscellaneous Provisions Sec. 16-1. Definitions Sec. 16-1a. Reference to Public Utilities Commission deemed to mean Public Utilities Control Authority Sec. 16-1b. Department of Public Utility Control. Department head Sec. 16-2. Public Utilities Regulatory Authority. Utility commissioners. Staff Sec. 16-2a. Office of Consumer Counsel. Office of State Broadband. Consumer Counsel. Staff Sec. 16-2b. Term “Office of Consumer Counsel” deemed to mean Division of Consumer Counsel within the Department of Business Regulation Sec. 16-2c. Division of Adjudication Sec. 16-2d. Office of energy efficient businesses Sec. 16-3. Vacancy Sec. 16-3a. Appointment of initial members. Transfer of business between commission and authority Sec. 16-4. Employees of public service companies, certified telecommunications providers and electric suppliers ineligible to serve on authority or in department Sec. 16-5. Removal Sec. 16-6. Office and records Sec. 16-6a. Participation in proceedings before federal agencies and federal courts. Expenses Sec. 16-6b. Regulations Sec. 16-6c. Power to delay implementation of electric suppliers' generation portfolio standards Sec. 16-7. Right of entry. Penalty Sec. 16-8. Examination of witnesses and documents. Hearing officers. Management audits Sec. 16-8a. Protection of employee of public service company, contractor or Nuclear Regulatory Commission from retaliation. Procedures. Regulations Sec. 16-8b. Labor disputes at public service companies. Determination of unreasonable profits during dispute. Refunds Sec. 16-8c. Examination of witnesses and documents. Audits. Relationship between public service companies and subsidiaries Sec. 16-8d. Recovery of costs, expenses, judgments or attorney's fees for an action brought under section 16-8a Sec. 16-9. Orders Sec. 16-9a. Party status in proceedings before authority Sec. 16-9b. Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to be party to proceedings before authority Sec. 16-10. Enforcement of statutes and orders Sec. 16-10a. Revocation of franchises. Procedure. Reassignment Sec. 16-11. Safety of public and employees. Powers Sec. 16-11a. Nuclear Energy Advisory Council; composition; duties Sec. 16-12. Complaints as to dangerous conditions Sec. 16-13. Procedure upon complaint Sec. 16-14. Powers concerning electrolysis or escape of electricity Sec. 16-15. Compliance with orders. Penalty Sec. 16-16. Report of accidents Sec. 16-17. Duties as to accidents Sec. 16-18. Powers concerning poles and wires Sec. 16-18a. Consultants: Retention, expenses, findings and recommendations Sec. 16-19. Amendment of rate schedule; investigations and findings by authority; hearings; deferral of municipal rate increases; refunds; notice of application for rate amendment, interim rate amendment and reopening of rate proceeding Sec. 16-19a. Periodic review re gas and electric distribution companies' rates, services and performance. Approval of performance-based incentives Sec. 16-19b. Purchased gas adjustment clauses, energy adjustment clauses and transmission rate adjustment clauses Sec. 16-19c. Investigation of fuel cost adjustment and purchased gas adjustment charges Sec. 16-19d. Advertising not to be deemed an operating expense for purposes of rate-making. Disclosure of source of payment for advertising Sec. 16-19e. Guidelines for transfer of assets and franchises, plant expansion, internal utility management and rate structures. Public hearing. Policy coordination among state agencies. Parties to rate proceeding Sec. 16-19f. Rate design standards for electric public service companies and municipal electric companies. Determination of appropriateness. Implementation. Electric vehicle charging stations Sec. 16-19g. Penalty for failure to report nuclear incident not an operating expense Sec. 16-19h. Reopening of water company rate proceedings Sec. 16-19i. Electric company residential customer service charge indicated on bill Sec. 16-19j. Portion of authority staff to be made party to certain rate proceedings Sec. 16-19k. Costs of educational materials or information on water conservation included as operating costs Sec. 16-19. Authorization of rates that promote water conservation Secs. 16-19m to 16-19q. Decommissioning of nuclear power generating facilities; definitions. Decommissioning financing plan; contents. Decommissioning finance plans; updates; hearing approval. Review of plan; changes. Decommissioning costs; liability Secs. 16-19r to 16-19t. Three Mile Island nuclear power generating facility damage costs prohibited from being placed in rate base or included as operating expenses. Revenues associated with construction of electric company facilities and Millstone 3 and Seabrook 1 nuclear power generating facilities; rate treatment; proceedings on economic viability of Seabrook 1; low power startup decontamination costs of Seabrook 1 not included in rates. Excess construction costs of Millstone 3 nuclear power generating facility not included in rates Secs. 16-19u to 16-19w. Monthly reports from nuclear power generating facility licensees re construction costs and progress. Excess construction costs of Seabrook 1 nuclear power generating facility not included in rates. Prohibition on inclusion of certain costs associated with construction of Seabrook 2 nuclear power generating facility in rates Sec. 16-19x. Phase-in of costs of certain large electric generating facilities Sec. 16-19y. Rate treatment of enhanced 9-1-1 service costs Sec. 16-19z. Rate treatment of land purchased, owned or retained by water companies for water supply protection or future water supply use Sec. 16-19aa. Excess generating capacity. Exclusion of costs associated with. Return on and depreciation of unrecovered investment in generating facilities Sec. 16-19bb. Application or refund of electric distribution company rate moderation funds Sec. 16-19cc. Semiannual reports from nuclear generating facility licensees re maintenance, refueling and shutdown schedules. Penalty for shutdown for a significant period of time Sec. 16-19dd. Conservation and load management programs for agricultural customers Sec. 16-19ee. Reports from electric distribution companies concerning electrical outages from power surges Sec. 16-19ff. Submetering. Regulations. Application process Sec. 16-19gg. Factors to be considered during a rate proceeding Sec. 16-19hh. Implementation of flexible pricing and rates. Special contracts for electric service. Exemption from competitive transition assessment. Regulations Sec. 16-19ii. Use of electric resistance space heating. Differential rates Sec. 16-19jj. Alternative dispute resolution mechanisms Sec. 16-19kk. Finding re conservation and load management programs. Rates of return for conservation and load management programs and programs promoting the state's economic development. Considerations in establishing company's authorized return. Performance-based incentives. Consumer Counsel authorized to retain experts. Regulations Sec. 16-19. Submittal of legislation re encouraging conservation and load management programs, etc Sec. 16-19mm. Consideration of external costs and benefits Sec. 16-19nn. Encouragement of specific end uses of electricity and gas Sec. 16-19oo. Approval of rate amendments for conservation and load management programs or programs promoting the state's economic development in proceedings other than rate proceedings. Approval of rate mechanisms to recover costs of natural gas infrastructure expansion plan in contested proceedings Sec. 16-19pp. Uncontested proceedings before the authority. Participating parties Sec. 16-19qq. Outages of nuclear power generating facilities; rate proceedings; rebuttable presumption of imprudent management Sec. 16-19rr. Rates charged by electric distribution companies and electric utilities to veterans' organizations Sec. 16-19ss. Solicitations for the provision of temporary electric generation facilities Sec. 16-19tt. Gas and electric distribution companies' distribution revenue decoupling Sec. 16-19uu. Adjustments to competitive transition assessment with respect to economic recovery revenue bonds Sec. 16-19vv. Public service companies' customer deposits Sec. 16-19ww. Natural gas infrastructure expansion plan. Hurdle rate; rate for new customers added pursuant to the plan; rate mechanism for gas companies to recover prudent investments made pursuant to the plan outside a rate proceeding; assignment of nonfirm margin credit Sec. 16-19xx. Deferral of public service company tax expense increase Secs. 16-19yy to 16-19ddd Sec. 16-19eee. Definitions Sec. 16-19fff. Electric vehicle charging load projections Sec. 16-19ggg. Public electric vehicle charging stations. Parking restrictions Sec. 16-20. Inadequate service or unreasonable rates; petition to authority. Small community water system rates and service Sec. 16-21. Change of rates fixed pursuant to charter or contract Sec. 16-22. Rates; transfer of assets or franchise; burden of proof Sec. 16-23. Regulations and service prescribed by authority deemed reasonable Sec. 16-24. Classification of service Sec. 16-24a. Low-income discounted rates for electric and gas service Sec. 16-25. Time and place of hearings. Notice Sec. 16-25a. Hearings on Office of Consumer Counsel petitions Sec. 16-26. Public hearing to be held in locality affected Sec. 16-27. Returns from public service companies. Reports from community antenna television companies. Penalty. Form 8-K reports Sec. 16-28. Correction of returns and reports Sec. 16-29. Reports from municipalities Sec. 16-30. Returns from motor bus companies. Penalty Sec. 16-31. Remission of forfeitures by the Attorney General Sec. 16-32. Annual audit report Sec. 16-32a. Filing re procurement practices. Public hearing. Regulations re competitive bidding Sec. 16-32b. Regional water authority or water district to submit annual report Sec. 16-32c. Water company rate adjustments. Application. Notice to customers Sec. 16-32d Sec. 16-32e. Emergency plans to be filed by public service companies, telecommunications companies, voice over Internet protocol service providers and municipal utilities. Hearings. Revisions. Staffing of electric distribution companies' emergency operations centers Sec. 16-32f. Gas company supply and demand forecast reports Sec. 16-32g. Electric wire maintenance plans. Regulations Sec. 16-32h. Performance standards for electric distribution companies and gas companies in emergencies. Emergency response report Sec. 16-32i. Performance review of electric distribution companies and gas companies after emergencies. Hearing. Penalty Sec. 16-32j. Procedures for expedited road clearing after emergencies Sec. 16-32k. Vegetation management practices review. Report Sec. 16-33. Obstructing authority; false entries and returns to; penalty Sec. 16-34. Annual reports to Governor Sec. 16-34a. Annual report re lost and unaccounted for gas. Docket to investigate Sec. 16-35. Appeals to Superior Court. Uncontested proceedings re acquiring electricity products or services Secs. 16-36 to 16-39. Venue. Procedure on appeal. Notice when parties are numerous. Supersedeas Sec. 16-40. Rights and duties of trustees and receivers Sec. 16-41. Imposition of civil penalties by authority Sec. 16-42. Not to affect labor contracts Sec. 16-43. Merger or sale of public service companies. Issuance and approval of securities. Net proceeds from sale of water company land. Allocation of economic benefits of sale of water company land Sec. 16-43a. Validity of securities issued pursuant to order of authority Sec. 16-43b. Definitions applicable to apportionment of land sales benefits Sec. 16-43c. Sale of water company land to certain municipal corporations for construction of a school Sec. 16-43d. Sale of existing electric generation plants Sec. 16-44. Notice of formation, consolidation or discontinuance of public service companies; change of name. Penalty Sec. 16-44a. Disclosure of salaries of directors and officers of public service companies Sec. 16-45. Increase or reduction of capital stock by public service companies Sec. 16-46. Dissolution or termination of public service company. Cessation of public service operations Sec. 16-47. Holding companies. Approval of authority re exercise of control. Investigation and hearing. Annual reports. Injunctive relief Sec. 16-47a. Code of conduct for gas company transactions with affiliates Sec. 16-48. Electricity and gas; transmission between this state and other states Sec. 16-48a. Consumer Counsel and Public Utility Control Fund established Sec. 16-49. Expenses of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's Bureau of Energy, the Office of Consumer Counsel and the operations of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority. Assessment of regulated companies Secs. 16-49a to 16-49c. Appropriation. Council on water company lands established. Moratorium on sale of water company lands; duties of council Sec. 16-49d. Applications for sales of water company lands submitted prior to June 25, 1975 Sec. 16-49e. Public service company may request identification from person opening an account. Telecommunications company may request identification prior to providing service Sec. 16-49f. Verification of Social Security number prior to opening new account. Minor not liable for services fraudulently obtained using minor's Social Security number Sec. 16-50. Employees. Consultants Sec. 16-50a. Local filing of maps on acquisition of property Sec. 16-50b. Declaration of policy Sec. 16-50c. Notification of intent to dispose of unimproved real property. Approval or disapproval by authority. Hearing Sec. 16-50d. Action to acquire property Sec. 16-50e. Notices to town clerk Sec. 16-50f. Solicitation of insurance applications from employees of public service companies. Payroll deductions