ORS 759.195: Price listing of services; conditions; maximum rates; essential services; justification by utility of rates for price-listed services; rules.

(1) Except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, upon petition of a telecommunications utility that provides local exchange service directly, or is affiliated with a utility that provides local exchange service, and after notice and hearing, the Public Utility Commission may authorize the utility to set rates for toll and other telecommunications services by filing a price list containing the price and terms for the service. The price list or any revision of the price list is not subject to the provisions of ORS 759.180 to 759.190 and shall become effective as determined by the commission. The commission may prescribe conditions on an authorization to establish rates by price list, including conditions relating to the sharing of revenues received by the utility that are in excess of allowances provided for in the order of authorization. (2) Telecommunications utilities that provide telecommunications services only between exchanges and are not affiliated with a utility that provides local exchange service may establish rates by price list without special authorization from the commission. (3) Prior to granting a petition to set rates by price list under this section, the commission shall find that pricing flexibility: (a) Is reasonably necessary to enable the utility to respond to current and future competitive conditions for any or all telecommunications services; (b) Will maintain the appropriate balance between the need for price flexibility and the protection of consumers; (c) Is likely to benefit the consumers of fixed rate services; and (d) Is unlikely to cause any undue harm to any customer class. (4) A rate set for a service by a utility may not be lower than the long run incremental cost of providing the service. (5) Upon its own motion the commission may fix maximum rate levels and terms of service for price listed services and for toll services on noncompetitive routes. Upon request of any affected person, the commission shall fix maximum rate levels and terms of service for price listed services not subject to competition and for toll services on noncompetitive routes. (6) By rule, the commission shall designate local exchange services that it deems essential, and rates for such services shall be prescribed under ORS 759.180 to 759.190. The commission also may authorize automatic adjustment clauses which reflect increases, decreases, or both, in particular costs incurred by the utility. For the purposes of this subsection, “essential services” need not be essential for all classes of customers. (7) The commission may, at any time, order a telecommunications utility to appear and establish that any of its price listed rates are just and reasonable and in conformity with the requirements of this section and the authorization to price list issued by the commission. Price listed rates shall also be subject to complaint under ORS 756.500. [Formerly 757.850; 2005 c.232 §13a]