The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of a TMI Regulatory Bulletin.
The Regulatory Mix will be on hiatus in observance of Labor Day from Friday, 9/4/15 – Tuesday, 9/8/15
TELECOM
FCC
On September 30 and October 1, 2015, the FCC’s Connect2Health Task Force will travel to Miami and Jacksonville, Florida, to highlight how broadband-enabled health technologies can transform health and care for seniors, children, and people with disabilities. The scheduled policy summit, consumer event and site visits are part of the Task Force’s “Beyond the Beltway Series” to reach out broadly about the transformative power of broadband-enabled solutions and next-generation communications technologies to improve access to health and care services throughout the country, especially in rural and underserved areas. The FCC will partner with the Mayo Clinic and AARP for several key events in Miami and Jacksonville featuring FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, senior executives from AARP Florida, Univision’s Dr. Juan Rivera, Dr. Steve Ommen, Head of Connected Care for the Mayo Clinic, and the Connect2HealthFCC Task Force.
ENERGY
Ohio
The PUC approved the Winter Reconnect Order to help Ohioans reconnect or maintain electric and natural gas service during the winter heating season between Oct. 19, 2015 and April 15, 2016. Customers who utilize the Winter Reconnect Order are required to pay the utility $175 plus any applicable reconnection charge not to exceed $36. If the company’s reconnection charge is greater than $36, the balance may be billed to the customer the following month. The Winter Reconnect Order also applies to customers seeking to establish new electric and natural gas service. Rather than paying the full security deposit that may be required for new service, customers can pay up to $175 and be billed any remaining balance of the security deposit the following month. Customers who have questions about the Winter Reconnect Order may contact the PUC at 1-800-686-PUCO (7826) or visit the PUCO’s website at www.PUCO.ohio.gov.
Pennsylvania
The PUC approved the petition of UGI to eliminate enrollment limits on Customer Assistance Programs (CAPs) in their Universal Service and Energy Conservation Plan (USECP). UGI was directed to follow the customary procedures relating to cost recovery. Of UGI’s total 596,816 residential natural gas and electric customers, 21,280 are CAP customers as of June 30, 2015. Prior to today’s approval, the CAP enrollment limit was 26,000 customers.