(a)The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall, in consultation with the Office of Consumer Counsel, monitor on an on-going basis the state of competition, as it exists and as it is likely to evolve, and the average total rates of each customer class. Not later than January 1, 2002 and annually thereafter, the authority shall report its findings to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to energy, provided, beginning with the report prepared in 2018, the authority shall report such findings on or before April first of each year.
(b)(1) As used in this subdivision, “total average residential rate” means the total residential revenues divided by total residential kilowatt hour sales, and “total average industrial rate” means the total
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(a) The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall, in consultation with the Office of Consumer Counsel, monitor on an on-going basis the state of competition, as it exists and as it is likely to evolve, and the average total rates of each customer class. Not later than January 1, 2002 and annually thereafter, the authority shall report its findings to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to energy, provided, beginning with the report prepared in 2018, the authority shall report such findings on or before April first of each year. (b) (1) As used in this subdivision, “total average residential rate” means the total residential revenues divided by total residential kilowatt hour sales, and “total average industrial rate” means the total industrial revenues divided by total industrial kilowatt hour sales. At least annually, the authority shall compute the rate differential for electric service between residential and industrial customers by comparing the total average residential rate and the total average industrial rate, based on filings made by electric suppliers and electric distribution companies with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or the authority. The rate differential shall be the difference between the total average residential rate and the total average industrial rates, divided by the total average residential rate. (2) If the authority determines that the rate differential for electric service between residential and industrial customers has increased by three percentage points or more from the rate differential that existed on January 1, 1998, the authority shall institute an investigatory proceeding in which the Office of the Consumer Counsel shall participate. Not more than ninety days after the official commencement of the proceeding, the authority shall issue written findings that identify the factors or circumstances that contributed to such increase in the rate differential. If the authority finds that such increase is a result of a violation of this title or of other state or federal laws, the authority shall take appropriate enforcement action or refer such violation to the appropriate state or federal authority. If the authority finds that such increase is due to factors or circumstances other than a violation of state or federal law, the authority shall take action in accordance with methods of allocation in effect on January 1, 1997, to minimize to the greatest extent possible such differential to less than three percentage points, within the authority granted to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority pursuant to section 16-7 , subsection (a) or (b) of section 16-8 , section 16-8c , 16-9 , 16-10 , 16-10a , 16-15 , 16-19 or 16-19a , subsection (g) of section 16-19b or section 16-19e , 16-19f , 16-19gg , 16-19hh , 16-19kk , 16-20 , 16-21 , 16-24 , 16-28 , 16-32 , 16-41 , 16-244c 16-245 , 16-245g or 16-245 l , provided any action taken by the authority shall be in compliance with the principles set forth in section 16-244 , and provided further the authority shall not allow inter or intra-class rate subsidization. (3) Not later than January first, as applicable, the authority shall report its findings described in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection, including a description of the factors or circumstances that contributed to such increase in the rate differential and a description of actions taken by the authority, along with any legislative recommendations to minimize such differential to less than three percentage points without creating intra or inter class rate subsidization, to members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to energy. (c) Each electric distribution company shall submit, on a form prescribed by the authority, quarterly reports containing the average price for electric service for each customer class. (d) The authority shall require electric distribution companies and electric suppliers to supply to the authority whatever pricing information the authority needs to complete its reporting and monitoring requirements under this section. The authority may grant confidential status to certain data if a valid claim is made that the information is competitively sensitive, provided composite numbers shall be public information. Any electric distribution company or electric supplier that fails to provide information requested by the authority more than thirty days after the authority makes such request shall be subject to enforcement measures under this title. The authority may adopt regulations pursuant to chapter 54 to implement the provisions of this subsection.