Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Utility Regulation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public Service Commission and utilities staff seek targeted pay and inspection funding
Summary
The Public Service Commission and utilities staff asked the committee for modest salary adjustments—targeted to pipeline safety, inspectors and specialized auditors—and for resources to verify that utility capital projects are completed before they enter rate bases.
Commissioners and staff representing the Public Service Commission told the subcommittee that growth across the state has increased demands on utility oversight and that the commission needs targeted salary and inspection resources to verify capital investments. A PSC representative said the agency requests $148,293 to increase an advertised salary for a natural-gas pipeline safety manager and asked for an additional inspector to verify capital projects in the Southern District.
Public utilities staff emphasized they are a specialized auditing and accounting agency and requested a limited salary-progression pool (about $71,000 of a roughly $171,000 package) aimed at retaining three-to-five-year experienced staff who perform complex rate-case and regulatory work. "We're trying to keep those employees that we've already got trained and experienced," a staff presenter said.
Lawmakers pressed for clarity on vacancies, the distribution of PINs across districts and how third-party regional jails and contracts interact with rate bases. PSC members noted some utilities have added capital to rate bases without completing projects and argued increased inspection capacity would protect ratepayers.
What happens next: PSC and public-utilities staff will provide the committee with pin distribution, vacancy lists and additional documentation on proposed title and market adjustments.
