Can we keep regulators honest?

The Public Disservice Commission has lost the public's trust

Posted 12/20/20

You may think the temptation for public utilities to hire those who regulate their industries is too great to resist.

Our research so far has turned up no cases of this happening. 

That …

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Can we keep regulators honest?

The Public Disservice Commission has lost the public's trust

Posted

You may think the temptation for public utilities to hire those who regulate their industries is too great to resist.
Our research so far has turned up no cases of this happening. 
That does not mean it hasn’t – just that we haven’t been able to find any such cases.
Under state law, commissioners may not accept utility jobs for a year after leaving office. 
Sen. Dick Harpootlian has filed a bill to make that temptation harder to accept. It reads: “A commissioner may not be employed or retained by a public utility for a period of at least 4 years following service as a commissioner. A person who violates this provision is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than $5,000 or be imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.”
We think the senator is on the right path but believe it should be even stronger. Why not require PSC candidates and their employees to sign an oath that neither they nor their families will ever accept a dime in any form from public utilities. That means – as the price of serving – for the rest of their lives.

The PSC has earned a sorry reputation for failing to stand up to the utilities they are supposed to regulate and prevent them from ruthlessly picking their ratepayers’ pockets.
For 9 years the PSC swallowed SCANA officials’ lies about their failing nuclear reactors and raised more than $2 billion in rates on defenseless ratepayers. 
Now Dominion Energy, which bought SCANA at a fire sale, wants the PSC to give them an almost 8% in rate increases.
The Office of Regulatory Staff, whose job is to protect ratepayers, has questioned this.
The ORS has already recommended the PSC deny any claims by Dominion to recover millions of dollars in a federal fine for SCANA deceptions.
Our county’s state lawmakers should keep careful eyes on what the PSC does or does not do about Dominion rates.
More than 750,000 ratepayers –  also “voters” – are watching.
Please let us know what you think about this. Write JerryBellune@yahoo.com

PSC, Dick, Harpootlian, dominion, rate hike

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