Senate Bill S9474A

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9474
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 16, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
   cations
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the public service law, in relation to establishing a
   standardized rate application template
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Legislative findings and intent. The legislature finds that
 rate  increase  applications  filed  by  gas, electric, water, and other
 regulated utilities before the New York state public service  commission
 vary  widely in format, calculation methodology, and explanatory detail.
 This  lack  of  uniformity  impedes  meaningful  review  by  regulators,
 intervenors,  and  the  public,  and  makes comparison across rate cases
 difficult.
   The legislature therefore declares that it is in the  public  interest
 to   require  standardized,  transparent,  and  clearly  explained  rate
 increase filings in order to promote accountability, comparability,  and
 informed decision making.
   § 2. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 27-a to
 read as follows:
   §  27-A.  STANDARDIZED UTILITY RATE CASE FILINGS. 1. DEFINITIONS.  FOR
 THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOW-
 ING MEANINGS:
   (A) "RATE APPLICATION" MEANS ANY PETITION, FILING, OR SUBMISSION SEEK-
 ING APPROVAL OF A GENERAL RATE INCREASE OR MODIFICATION TO RATES, CHARG-
 ES, OR TARIFFS PURSUANT TO THIS CHAPTER.
   (B) "UTILITY" MEANS ANY ELECTRIC, GAS, STEAM, WATER,  OR  TELECOMMUNI-
 CATIONS CORPORATION SUBJECT TO RATE REGULATION PURSUANT TO THIS CHAPTER.
   2.  STANDARDIZED  RATE APPLICATION TEMPLATE. (A) THE COMMISSION SHALL,
 BY RULE OR ORDER, ESTABLISH A STANDARDIZED RATE APPLICATION TEMPLATE  TO
 BE USED BY ALL UTILITIES FILING RATE APPLICATIONS.
   (B)  THE  STANDARDIZED  TEMPLATE SHALL REQUIRE UNIFORM PRESENTATION OF
 INFORMATION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15085-01-6
              

 S. 9474                             2
 
   (I) AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF  THE  PROPOSED  RATE  INCREASE  AND  TOTAL
 REVENUE REQUEST;
   (II) THE PROJECTED BILL IMPACTS BY CUSTOMER CLASS;
   (III)  A  DETAILED  BREAKDOWN  OF OPERATING EXPENSES, CAPITAL EXPENDI-
 TURES, AND RATE BASE COMPONENTS;
   (IV) HISTORICAL AND FORECASTED TEST YEAR DATA PRESENTED IN A  CONSIST-
 ENT FORMAT;
   (V) A SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON OF CURRENT RATES AND PROPOSED RATES; AND
   (VI)  ANY ADDITIONAL SCHEDULES OR EXHIBITS THE COMMISSION DEEMS NECES-
 SARY FOR COMPLETE REVIEW.
   (C) EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE AUTHORIZED BY THE COMMISSION, ALL RATE  APPLI-
 CATIONS SHALL BE SUBMITTED USING THE STANDARDIZED TEMPLATE.
   3.   UNIFORM  CALCULATION  METHODOLOGIES.  (A)  THE  COMMISSION  SHALL
 PRESCRIBE UNIFORM CALCULATION METHODOLOGIES FOR  KEY  ELEMENTS  OF  RATE
 APPLICATIONS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I) REVENUE REQUIREMENT CALCULATIONS;
   (II) COST OF CAPITAL AND RETURN ON EQUITY DETERMINATIONS;
   (III) DEPRECIATION, AMORTIZATION, AND PLANT-IN-SERVICE CALCULATIONS;
   (IV) ALLOCATION OF COSTS AMONG CUSTOMER CLASSES; AND
   (V) FORECASTING ASSUMPTIONS USED IN TEST YEAR ANALYSES.
   (B)  UTILITIES  SHALL  APPLY  THE PRESCRIBED METHODOLOGIES IN ALL RATE
 APPLICATIONS UNLESS THE COMMISSION GRANTS A WRITTEN WAIVER UPON A  SHOW-
 ING OF GOOD CAUSE.
   4. EXPLANATION OF CALCULATIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS. (A) EACH RATE APPLICA-
 TION  SHALL  INCLUDE A CLEAR AND COMPREHENSIVE EXPLANATION OF ALL CALCU-
 LATIONS USED, INCLUDING:
   (I) IDENTIFICATION OF  ALL  FORMULAS  AND  MATHEMATICAL  METHODOLOGIES
 EMPLOYED;
   (II) THE SOURCE OF ALL DATA INPUTS;
   (III)  ALL  MATERIAL ASSUMPTIONS UNDERLYING FORECASTS AND PROJECTIONS;
 AND
   (IV)_AN EXPLANATION OF ANY CHANGES FROM METHODOLOGIES  OR  ASSUMPTIONS
 USED IN THE UTILITY'S PRIOR RATE CASE.
   (B)  SUPPORTING SCHEDULES AND WORKPAPERS SHALL BE PROVIDED IN A FORMAT
 THAT ALLOWS COMMISSION STAFF, INTERVENORS, AND THE PUBLIC  TO  REPLICATE
 AND VERIFY THE CALCULATIONS.
   5.  COMPLETENESS REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT. (A) THE COMMISSION MAY DETER-
 MINE THAT A RATE APPLICATION IS INCOMPLETE IF IT FAILS  TO  COMPLY  WITH
 THE STANDARDIZED TEMPLATE OR METHODOLOGY REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED PURSU-
 ANT TO THIS SECTION.
   (B)  THE  COMMISSION  MAY REJECT, SUSPEND, OR REQUIRE AMENDMENT OF ANY
 NONCOMPLIANT FILING UNTIL SUCH DEFICIENCIES ARE CURED.
   6. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY. ALL RATE APPLICATIONS,  INCLUDING  EXPLANATORY
 MATERIALS  AND  CALCULATION WORKPAPERS, SHALL BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE
 ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE, SUBJECT TO  EXISTING  PROVISIONS  GOVERNING
 CONFIDENTIAL OR PROPRIETARY INFORMATION.
   7.  RULEMAKING  AUTHORITY.  THE COMMISSION IS AUTHORIZED TO PROMULGATE
 RULES AND ISSUE ORDERS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT AND ENFORCE THE PROVISIONS
 OF THIS SECTION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become  a
 law  and  shall  apply  to  all rate applications filed on or after such
 date.