OAR 860-022-0017: Announcement of Utility Tariff Changes

(1) Within 15 days of filing with the Commission new or revised tariff schedules which constitute a general rate revision, an energy or large telecommunications utility shall inform its customers of the filing. A “general rate revision” is a filing by an energy or large telecommunications utility which affects all or most of a utility’s rate schedules. “General rate revision” excludes changes in an automatic adjustment clause under ORS 757.210(1), changes in the credit reflected on certain electric company rate schedules relating to Section 5(c) of the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act of 1980, or similar changes in one rate schedule, such as for an amortization, that affects other rate schedules. (2) The energy or large telecommunications utility shall inform its customers by: (a) Inserting a display announcement, not less than a three column standard advertising unit (SAU) by ten-inch advertisement, at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the communities served by the energy or large telecommunications utility; (b) Inserting an announcement in the energy or large telecommunications utility’s regular billing to its customers; or (c) Mailing an announcement to each customer. (3) The energy or large telecommunications utility’s announcement shall include: (a) The approximate annualized amount of the proposed total change, expressed both in dollar and in percentage terms; and the approximate amount of the proposed change for an average residential customer’s monthly bill, expressed in dollar terms; (b) A brief statement of the reasons why the energy or large telecommunications utility seeks the change; (c) A statement that copies of the energy or large telecommunications utility’s testimony and exhibits are available for inspection at its main and district offices; (d) The mailing address and telephone number of the energy or large telecommunications utility’s office that customers may contact for additional information about the filing; (e) The mailing address and toll-free telephone number of the Commission to which requests to receive notice of the time and place of any hearing on the matter may be directed; and (f) A statement that the purpose of the announcement is to provide the energy or large telecommunications utility’s customers with general information about the utility’s proposals and their effects on its customers, but that the calculations and statements contained in the announcement are not binding on the Commission. (4) Within 20 days of issuing the announcement, the energy or large telecommunications utility shall file an affidavit that notice has been given and a copy of the notice. (5) An energy or large telecommunications utility may submit to the Commission, and request approval of, a list of the newspapers of general circulation in the communities served by the utility. The utility may revise the list by written request to the Commission. (6) The Commission may waive the requirements of this rule upon a showing by the energy or large telecommunications utility that the notice required by this rule has been given with respect to a particular general rate revision, and upon a further showing that additional notice with respect to that rate revision would be duplicative, confusing to customers, and burdensome to the utility.