S 8213: Requires that any proposed capital expenditure to be considered in any matter affecting a major change in rates must be described by the utility and shall include the purpose, cost, and benefits to the ratepayers and shall be posted on the PSC website.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8213 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE May 21, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. HINCHEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommuni- cations AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to consideration of capital expenditures in utility rate proceedings The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 12 of section 66 of the public service law is 2 amended by adding a new paragraph (m) to read as follows: 3 (m) Any proposed capital expenditure to be considered in any matter 4 affecting a major change in rates must be described, which shall include 5 but not be limited to, the: (i) purpose of the proposed project, (ii) 6 total cost, (iii) expected period of usefulness, (iv) location in the 7 service territory, (v) rationale for inclusion in the proceeding, and 8 (vi) anticipated benefits to ratepayers, measured by lower costs to 9 ratepayers and/or other benefits as determined by the commission. Such 10 descriptions of projects shall be posted on the commission's website. 11 Pursuant to paragraph (i) of this subdivision, the burden of proof to 12 show that a change in rates related to each capital expenditure is just 13 and reasonable shall be on the utility. 14 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided however, this 15 act shall not apply to any matters involving a change in rates before 16 the Public Service Commission which were initiated prior to such effec- 17 tive date. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD05485-03-5