HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 454        FILED ON: 1/22/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3259

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Natalie M. Blais

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to protect ratepayers.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Natalie M. Blais

1st Franklin

1/22/2021

Brian W. Murray

10th Worcester

2/24/2021

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

2/25/2021

Dylan A. Fernandes

Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket

2/25/2021

Carlos González

10th Hampden

2/26/2021

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

4/12/2021

Mindy Domb

3rd Hampshire

6/26/2021


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 454        FILED ON: 1/22/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3259

By Ms. Blais of Sunderland, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3259) of Natalie M. Blais and others relative to the determination of allowed return on equity for certain utility ratepayers.  Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

 

An Act to protect ratepayers.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1: Chapter 164 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 94I the following sections: -

Section 94J. (a) In any base rate proceeding conducted by the department under section 94 for electric companies or gas companies, the department may not approve an allowed return on equity higher than the average allowed return on equity approved in neighboring states over the preceding four years. Such requirement may be waived only upon a specific showing that the constitutional rights of the electric or gas company would otherwise be violated.

(b) The determination of allowed return on equity under this section shall not include compensation related to programs under section 21 of chapter 25 or any performance incentives designed to promote the efficient, clean, and reliable operation of the electric or gas system. Section 94K. In any base rate proceeding conducted by the department under section 94 for electric companies or gas companies, the department may not approve a performance-based ratemaking mechanism with a negative productivity factor, negative productivity offset, or negative X factor, or any other mechanism that automatically results in annual revenue increases at a rate higher than inflation.

SECTION 2: Section 94K of chapter 164 of the General Laws, as inserted by this act, shall apply to any performance based ratemaking mechanism, including a performance based ratemaking mechanism, approved prior to December 31, 2019. For any performance based ratemaking mechanism approved prior to the effective date of this section, the department shall exclude the negative productivity factor from any future filings for an annual performance based ratemaking adjustment.