Section 15-200. FILING REQUIREMENTS FOR RATE CHANGES

 

200.1All rate change applications, other than tariff filings not affecting existing rates, shall include the following information:

 

(a)A statement of a historical test year and the basis for choosing this test year;

 

(b)A statement of a proposed test year and the basis for choosing this test year;

 

(c)A description of the nature and basis of the changes proposed;

 

(d)A listing of the tariff pages affected by the changes proposed;

 

(e)A listing of the existing rates and proposed rates for each service for which changes are being proposed;

 

(f)A full statement and description of any new or revised tariff rules and regulations;

 

(g)A statement listing the jurisdictional operating revenues of the utility for the historical test year and the proposed test year;

 

(h)A listing of the total number of jurisdictional customers or accounts served for the historical test year and the proposed test year;

 

(i)A calculation of the number of jurisdictional customers or accounts in each customer classification whose bills will be affected or a calculation of the average effect of the proposed change on jurisdictional customers in each customer classification based upon data for the historical test year and the proposed test year; and

 

(j)A calculation of the total proposed revenue change in dollars, by customer classification, projected on an annual basis.

 

200.2Whenever, in a rate change application, a party proposes to change the ratemaking principles adopted in its most recent rate case, the party shall also file with its §200.1 filing a statement describing each proposed change in the ratemaking principles adopted by the Commission in the applicant's last general rate proceeding, showing the effect of each such change upon the applicant's request if no such changes were made.

 

200.3Any rate change application that proposes to increase a utility's jurisdictional operating revenues by more than one percent (1%) when projected on an annual basis shall include, in addition to the statements required by §§200.1 and 200.2 and §§201 through 213, the following information:

 

(a)A statement showing the utility's calculation of the jurisdictional rate of return earned or to be earned in the historical test year and the proposed test year;

 

(b)The anticipated jurisdictional rate of return to be earned when proposed rate changes become effective;

 

(c)The jurisdictional rate base(s) used in the rate of return calculation supported, if available, by summaries of original cost or other factors used in its determination;

 

(d)A summary, on a functional basis, of the book value (actual or projected) of the utility's jurisdictional property at the close of the historical test year and the proposed test year;

 

(e)A statement showing the amount of depreciation reserve, at the close of the historical test year and the proposed test year, applicable to the property summarized in paragraph (d);

 

(f)A statement of jurisdictional operating income, setting forth the operating revenues and expenses by accounts, for the historical test year and the proposed test year;

 

(g)A brief description of and basis for any major change affecting the utility's operating or financial condition during the proposed test year, known as of the date of transmittal of the application, and any major change during the rate effective period as follows:

 

(1)Known and measurable as of the date of transmittal of the application; or

 

(2)Known and which can be approximated with reasonable accuracy as of the date of transmittal of the application. For purposes of this section, "a major change" means one which materially alters the utility's operating or financial condition from that reflected in paragraphs (a) through (f); and

 

(h)The most recent historic balance sheet available as of the date of filing.

 

200.4The historical test year is the preferred proposed test year. However, the proposed test year may include forecasted dated; Provided, that the proposed test year does not include more than six (6) months of forecasted data.

 

200.5When a utility submits forecasted data as part of its proposed test year data, the utility's filing shall include, in addition to the information and data required by §§200.1 through 200.3 and §§201 through 213, as applicable, the following information:

 

(a)The basis for including forecasted data in the test year;

 

(b)Key assumptions which underlie the projected jurisdictional ratemaking data for the proposed test year, including but not limited to, the following:

 

(1)Operating Revenues;

 

(2)Construction Program;

 

(3)Operating Expenses:

 

(A)Fuel and interchange costs, if appropriate; and

 

(B)Operating and maintenance expenses (excluding those expenses under §200.5(a);

 

(c)Description of the procedures employed in the preparation of the projected data for the proposed test year; and

 

(d)Analyses of changes in jurisdictional rate base, jurisdictional expenses and jurisdictional operating income between the historical test year and the proposed test year.

 

200.6Any request by a utility for relief from attrition shall be accompanied by the following:

 

(a)A demonstration of the existence and causes of attrition using the following tests:

 

(1)The rate of return on investment test: a comparison of the actual and authorized rates of return on total investment and return on equity for the historical test year and the nine (9) years preceding the historical test year;

 

(2)The operating ratios test: a comparison, for the historical test year and the nine (9) years preceding the historical test year, of the following:

 

(A)The actual revenues to expenses with the authorized revenues to expenses; and

 

(B)The actual revenues to actual expenses; and

 

(3)The revenues per net investment test: a comparison, for the historical test year and the nine (9) years preceding the historical test year, of the following: and

 

(A)The actual revenues to investment with the authorized revenues to investment; and

 

(B)The actual revenues to actual investment;

 

(b)Any other attrition tests offered by a utility to demonstrate the existence and causes of attrition; Provided, that the utility demonstrates that such tests are consistent with Commission orders and are relevant to the proceeding;

 

(c)Testimony and exhibits demonstrating the probability of the presence of attrition in the rate-effective period; and

 

(d)Testimony and exhibits showing any factors which would likely offset, at least in part, the presence of attrition during the rate-effective period.

 

200.7In the attrition tests identified in §200.6, a utility shall, as applicable, do the following:

 

(a)Exclude fuel, gas, and interchange costs from its expenses;

 

(b)Exclude income derived from fuel, gas, and interchange costs from its revenues;

 

(c)Include income taxes as expenses; and

 

(d)Adjust its data for abnormal weather.

 

200.8When a utility's historical test year and proposed test year are the same, the utility shall submit a single set of data.

 

200.9If pro forma changes are included in a utility's proposed test year filing, data in that filing shall be provided for the proposed test year on an actual as well as a pro forma basis.

 

200.10In cases governed by §200.3, the information specified in §§201 through 213 shall be supplied within twenty-one (21) days after the filing of the application, unless otherwise ordered by the Commission, but shall not be regarded as part of the evidentiary record unless admitted into evidence.

 

200.11Any request for waiver of the filing requirement in this section shall be submitted at the time of the filing of the application for a rate change. If the request for waiver is denied, the utility shall have twenty-one (21) days after the issuance of the denial by the Commission within which to supply the information.

 

200.12One (1) copy of the required information shall be supplied to the Secretary of the Commission, the staff, the People's Counsel, and to each applicant for intervention that requests a copy.

 

200.13Staff and the Office of the People's Counsel may request additional copies prior to the end of the twenty-one (21) day period.

 

authority

Unless otherwise noted, the authority for this chapter is Paragraph 97(b) of §8 of An Act Making appropriations to provide for the expenses of the District of Columbia for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and fourteen, and for other purposes, approved March 4, 1913 (37 Stat. 977); as amended by §2 of the Public Utilities Amendment Act of 1989, D.C. Law 8-47, D.C. Code §43-501 (1981 Ed.).

source

Final Rulemaking published at 34 DCR 1155 (February 13, 1987).