North Carolina Public Utility Information
North Carolina public utilities are regulated by the North Carolina Utilities Commission. By law, the commission serves both the public and the utilities.
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Regulated Services
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There are more than 1800 companies under the jurisdiction of the commission. Regulated utilities include electric, telephone, natural gas, water, waste-water, water resale, household goods transportation, buses, brokers and ferryboats. The safety of natural gas pipelines is also monitored. These services pay a regulatory fee to offset the cost of the commission.
Limited Regulated Services
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The commission has limited jurisdiction over electric membership corporations, small power producers and electric merchant plants.It does not set the retail rates for these companies, but ensures that reliable customer service is being provided to consumers.
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Unregulated Services
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Cable TV, Satellite TV, cellular providers and Internet providers are not regulated.
Commission Responsibilities
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The commission promotes the advantage of regulated utilities, ensures utility rates are reasonable and service is reliable, encourages the conservation of energy and works with other states providing interstate public utility service. Utility companies must receive certification from the commission before beginning construction on new facilities or changing ownership. They are also required to provide safety rules and regulations to protect the public.
Public Staff
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In 1977, the Public Staff was created by the commission to serve as a voice for utility consumers. It is an independent agency, not under the control or supervision of the commission, and is funded by regulatory fees. The Public Staff petitions the commission on behalf of the public when an investigation needs to take place and works with consumers who have complaints.
Consumer Resources
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Consumers can obtain detailed information on the companies under jurisdiction of the commission from its website. Customer service issues should first be addressed with the service provider. If a consumer has a valid complaint about rates, customer service or unauthorized utility transfer, known as "slamming," he should contact the Public Staff.
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References
- Photo Credit Power lines in the country image by palmer530 from Fotolia.com
