The bill introduces the Public Electrical Savings Act, which modifies the jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission (PSC) concerning public utilities in West Virginia. It exempts natural gas producers serving 25 or fewer residential customers from PSC jurisdiction for residential service, while still allowing the PSC to oversee these producers under certain conditions. The legislation also sets forth regulations for on-site energy facilities, including requirements for power purchase agreements (PPAs) that must guarantee lower costs than local utilities, limits on facility sizes based on customer type, and provisions for on-site power storage and third-party meter inspections. Additionally, the bill clarifies the PSC's authority over political subdivisions providing water and sewer services, focusing on general supervision and regulation of practices and rates, and establishes a timeline for dispute resolution.

Moreover, the bill amends existing law to clarify that the PSC does not have jurisdiction over internet protocol-enabled services and voice-over internet protocol services, which are defined to include any service allowing communication in internet protocol format. It expands the definition of voice-over internet protocol service to encompass services that enable users to receive and terminate calls on the public-switched telephone network. The bill also states that the PSC will not review or approve transactions involving telephone companies under common ownership and emphasizes that local governing bodies should regulate rates, fees, and charges for municipal power systems, thereby reinforcing local control over these entities.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 24-2-1
Committee Substitute: 24-2-1