15 U.S.C. § 3206 — Gas utility rate design proposals
submitted 48 years ago by Pub. L. 95-617 to r/title-15-COMMERCE-AND-TRADE · 360 words · no verdicts yet
The Secretary must study gas-utility rate design, develop conservation proposals, send them and legislative recommendations to Congress, and provide public participation. The study must examine specified pricing factors and effects on utilities, consumers, gas use, and alternative fuels.
(a)(1) In consultation with the Commission and after giving State regulators, gas utilities, and consumers an opportunity to comment, the Secretary must study gas-utility rate* design and report to Congress within 18 months after November 9, 1978. The study must examine separately and together the effects of incremental pricing, marginal-cost pricing, end-user gas-consumption taxes, wellhead pricing policies, demand-commodity rates, declining-block rates, interruptible service, seasonal differences, and end-user rate schedules. (2) It must examine effects on pipeline and local-distribution load factors; rates for residential, commercial, and industrial users; total costs, including capital and operating costs, for consumers or classes; gas demand and consumption; pipeline and distributor end-use profiles; and competition with alternative fuels.
(b) Based on the study, the Secretary must develop proposals to improve rate design and encourage conservation. The proposals must include the Commission’s comments and recommendations.
(c) Within six months after submitting the study, the Secretary must send each House of Congress the proposals and legislative recommendations, with analyses of projected savings, if any, in natural-gas and other-energy consumption; likely consumer-cost changes; and effects on other Act provisions concerning gas-utility rate structures.
(d) The Secretary must provide public participation in the study and proposal preparation.
The Secretary, in consultation with the Commission and, after affording an opportunity for consultation and comment by representatives of the State regulatory commissions, gas utilities, and gas consumers, shall study and report to Congress on gas utility* rate* design within 18 months after November 9, 1978. Such study shall address the effect (both separately and in combination) of the following factors upon the items listed in paragraph (2): incremental pricing; marginal cost pricing; end user gas consumption taxes; wellhead natural gas pricing policies; demand-commodity rate design; declining block rates; interruptible service; seasonal rate differentials; and end user rate schedules.
The items referred to in paragraph (1) are as follows:
natural gas pipeline and local distribution company load factors;
rates to each class of user, including residential, commercial, and industrial users;
the change in total costs resulting from gas utility designs (including capital and operating costs) to gas consumers or classes thereof;
demand for, and consumption of, natural gas;
end use profiles of natural gas pipelines and local distribution companies; and
competition with alternative fuels.
Based upon the study prepared pursuant to subsection (a), the Secretary shall develop proposals to improve gas utility rate design and to encourage conservation of natural gas. Such proposals shall include any comments and recommendations of the Commission.
The proposals prepared under subsection (b), shall be transmitted, together with any legislative recommendations, to each House of Congress not later than 6 months after the date of submission of the study under subsection (a). Such proposals shall be accompanied by an analyses 1 of—
the projected savings (if any) in consumption of natural gas, and other energy resources,
changes (if any) in the cost of natural gas to consumers, which are likely to result from the implementation nationally of each of such proposals, and
the effects of the proposals on other provisions of this Act on gas utility rate structures.
The Secretary shall provide for public participation in the conduct of the study under subsection (a), and the preparation of proposals under subsection (b).
Source credit: (Pub. L. 95–617, title III, § 306, Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3152.)
- 1978Enacted · Pub. L. 95-617 · 92 Stat. 3152
A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 95-617 on 1978-11-09.
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