The Delaware Senate has passed a trio of bills unanimously aimed at addressing rising home energy costs in the state. These bills are designed to provide guardrails for public utility companies regulated by the Delaware Public Service Commission to protect consumers from unfair price increases.
Senate Bill 59 would change the standards by which the Public Service Commission reviews rate increases, moving from the business judgment rule to the prudence standard to ensure more careful consideration of costs included in a utility’s rate base. Senate Bill 60 would cap recoverable capital expenses for Delmarva Power and prohibit recovery for activities such as lobbying and advertising through rate increases. Senate Bill 61 aims to increase transparency requirements for electric utilities at PJM Interconnection, a regional electrical grid operator.
These bills were introduced in response to concerns over rising energy costs and lack of oversight in utility rate setting. Democratic lawmakers, in consultation with Governor Meyer’s Administration, collaborated to address these concerns. Senator Hansen, the prime sponsor of the bills, emphasized the importance of ensuring accountability and fair pricing from utility companies to protect consumers.
Representative Heffernan, the House prime sponsor of the bills, highlighted the importance of these measures in ensuring transparency and accountability from public utilities. With the passage of these bills, Delaware joins other states in the region in promoting more efficient and fair energy pricing for consumers.
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