At its Oct. 16 meeting the Mississippi Public Service Commission approved a slate of routine and contested items and took a small number of deferral actions. Below are the commission’s formal actions and key details from the hearing.

- Consent docket: Commissioners voted to adopt the proposed consent docket. (Motion carried by voice vote.)

- Delta Natural Gas — annual rate regulation adjustment rider (Docket no. presented in meeting): Staff said the company’s filing covering the 12 months ended Dec. 31, 2024, initially requested a revenue adjustment of about $9,000,000; a joint stipulation between Delta and staff reduced rate base by about $1,600,000 and O&M expenses by about $1,000,000, lowering the requested increase to approximately $7,900,000. Under the tariff the agreed increase was estimated to raise the average residential bill by $3.83. Staff recommended approval and the commission approved the proposed order on a voice vote.

- Delta Natural Gas — supplemental growth rider (SGR) (Docket no. presented in meeting): Staff recommended approval; the commission tabled the item to next month after commissioners said requested commercial and large-volume billing data arrived late. (See separate article for details.)

- Cooperative Energy and Dixie Electric Power Association — 69 kV transmission line and substation in Jones County (Docket 2025UA81): The commission approved a joint petition for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for construction of a 69 kV transmission line, a new group-operated 69 kV switch and a new 69 kV substation in Jones County to serve a new 2–3 megawatt commercial customer and to relieve capacity constraints at nearby substations. Staff reviewed cost estimates and recommended approval. Construction is expected to begin within 12 months of commission approval and to be completed within 24 months. The project affects about six acres and requires rights-of-way and land acquisition.

- Mississippi Power Company — regulatory tax recovery (RTR) schedule (Docket 2025UN83): Staff recommended, and the commission approved, a change that staff described as producing a decrease equivalent to about 2 cents per 1,000 kilowatt-hours on a typical residential bill. (Transcript contained a brief clarification exchange on whether the decrease was per bill or per 1,000 kWh; staff clarified it is 2¢ per 1,000 kWh.)

- Entergy — special contract with ADP Rankin Data Hub LLC (Aveo) (Docket 225UN85): Staff recommended approval of a confidential special contract for service to a data center in Brandon, Rankin County. The megawatt cap in the contract is confidential on the public record; commissioners clarified any increase beyond the contract limit would require a subsequent commission vote. The commission approved the proposed order.

- Telecommunications certificates (multiple dockets): The commission approved applications granting certificates of public convenience and necessity (CPCNs) to Fiber Asset Co (parent: Crown Castle Fiber) and to Zayo Network Services to provide facility-based, resale, competitive local exchange and interexchange services in Mississippi. Both applicants were found in good standing and staff recommended approval.

- Uplink LLC — designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) (Docket 2025UA0076): The commission approved Uplink’s application to be designated an ETC so it can receive high-cost universal service funds for build-out obligations previously awarded to Aristotle Unified Communications. Parties have filed a joint application with the FCC (WC25-239) for approval of the assignment; the commission approved the state-level ETC designation to permit Uplink to meet federal requirements tied to the assignment and support awards.

- Town of Tremont — change in water rates (Docket 2025UN64): The commission approved Tremont’s request to change rates from $14 to $16 for the first 2,000 gallons and to increase the variable rate from $5.50 to $6.50 per additional 1,000 gallons. The filing affects 387 customers; the commission has jurisdiction over 120 of those customers. Staff said a typical customer using 4,200 gallons per month would see an increase of about $4 per month. Staff recommended approval.

- Shabuta Creek Solar LLC — petition for certificate of convenience and necessity (Docket 2025UA14): The petition to construct a solar facility in Jasper County was referred for hearing and, at the request of a commissioner who cited pending federal administrative developments, the commission tabled consideration for one month.

- Administrative and procedural items: The commission approved the September minutes and amended the scheduling order in Atmos Energy Corporation’s docket 2025UN59 to direct staff to enter a final order on or before the December scheduled meeting. The commission held a closed determination/executive-session discussion and returned with no action taken.

All motions that resulted in approval carried on voice votes with “aye” recorded; named roll-call tallies were not entered into the transcript.