Department of Public Utility Control

 

 

 

 

 

At a Glance

 

DONALD W. DOWNES, Chairperson

John W. Betkoski III, Vice-Chairperson

Anne C. George, Commissioner

Anthony J. Palermino, Commissioner

***5th Commissioner Vacancy***

Established - 1911

Statutory authority – CGS Sec 16-2

Central office - Ten Franklin Square,

New Britain, CT  06051

Appropriated number of employees - 142

Recurring operating expenses - $17,316,181

Organizational structure - Office of the Commissioners, Utility Regulation Division, Advocacy & Operations Division, Adjudication Division, Research & Policy Division, Legislative & Management Division, Consumer Education Outreach Division.

 

Mission

The mission of the Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) is to ensure that safe, reliable, modern, and fairly-priced utility services are available throughout Connecticut.  The DPUC has primary responsibility for Connecticut’s investor-owned electric, gas, water, telecommunications and cable television companies.

 

 

Achievements/Improvements 2006-07

During 2006-2007 the DPUC accomplished the following:

·        Worked with regional and federal entities regarding electric utility issues

·        Coordinated efforts among electric utilities regarding electric capacity needs and focused on methods to reduce the possibility of shortages of electricity in southwestern CT

·        Opened a docket to review the power outages in major cities in CT in the summer of 2006 and ordered repair, review by CL&P

·        Revoked the licenses of telecommunications companies that do not comply with state requirements

·        Continued processing applications to license competitive providers of electricity

·        Took steps to ensure a competitive market in the supply of natural gas to commercial/industrial customers

·        Reviewed basic cable TV rates, renewed several CATV franchises and approved the acquisition of the last independently owned CATV franchise in CT

·        Pursued Consumer Education Outreach regarding electric restructuring, speaking engagements statewide and concentrated on energy conservation measures

·        Implemented a translation service that allows non-English speaking consumers to communicate with the Department’s Consumer Services Unit

·        Effected directives of the Energy Independence Act

·        Opened 161 dockets for capital grants for customer-side distributed generation resources

·        Concluded a rate application for the second largest regulated water company in CT and opened/concluded others, including an active application for the largest regulated water company in CT

           

     The Department continues to broaden its ability to accept electronic filings, serve docket participants and interested persons via e-mail which saves on paper and postage and to expand internal electronic distribution.  The DPUC continued to approve applications to increase competitive telecommunications services for intrastate toll, local exchange and pay telephone services and to rescind the licenses of companies for noncompliance.  The Department also continued to accept and review applications from competitive providers of electric generation.  Approximately 72,000 electric utility customers have switched to a competitive provider of electricity and approximately 13,000 electric utility customers have signed up for the CT Clean Energy Options program.

     During 2005-2006, the DPUC opened 430 new dockets and reopened several more for consideration of specific issues.  It continued its gas pipeline safety/incident inspections and Call-Before-You-Dig oversight.  It also responded to more than 40,000 consumer contacts.  The DPUC maintained its commitment to affirmative action activity and to obtain parity in its workforce.