Consumers' Utility Counsel
Representing Georgia Consumers
The Consumers’ Utility Counsel Division (CUC) of the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) represents Georgia’s residential and smallest commercial customers (businesses with ten or fewer employees and $100,000 or less in annual net after-tax revenues) in utility proceedings before the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC or “Commission”). Not only is this the largest group of utility ratepayers in Georgia, but they would otherwise have no collective voice before the Commission.
The CUC’s work encompasses a wide variety of electricity, natural gas and telecommunications matters on behalf of Georgia. Many of these matters involve rates charged by the providers of these utility services. Others involve services provided by these companies and the rules of service applicable to consumers.
Our Responsibilities
Originally created in 1975 as the Office of Consumers’ Utility Counsel, the CUC at that time represented all utility consumers in Georgia. The Counsel was authorized to appear on behalf of “the public of this State” in matters involving public utility companies. In 1977 legislation, the consumers whose interests the Counsel was charged to represent were redefined as residential and small commercial customers.
Customers retain the authority to represent themselves in matters before the Commission, but it is impractical for residential and the smallest business consumers to do so. The CUC is directed to ensure that the interests of these consumers are adequately represented in all proceedings involving utility companies that are subject to the Commission’s jurisdiction.
The CUC became a division of OCA following amendment in 1995 of the Counsel’s enabling statute (O.C.G.A. Sections 46-10-1 through 46-10-9), which entitles it to appear in cases before the Commission and before federal administrative agencies, as well as in court proceedings involving or arising out of any such administrative agency action. The CUC may also provide information and comments to the Commission when it conducts rulemaking proceedings and investigations of utility matters.
Parties filing any application, complaint, pleading, notice, correspondence or other document with the Commission must provide a copy to the CUC, and written notice must be given to the CUC at least ten days before the Commission may consider any matter (O.C.G.A. Section 46-10-5). In addition, the CUC often fields questions and complaints from consumers concerning utility matters.
By statute the CUC also serves, along with the Georgia Department of Transportation, municipalities and utilities, on an advisory committee that reviews and recommends appropriate penalties for reported violations of the Georgia Utility Facility Protection Act, which is designed to prevent interruption of utility service and protect the public from harm resulting from damage to utility facilities or equipment caused by digging, blasting or excavating operations (O.C.G.A. Section 25-9-1 et seq.).
Currently, in addition to the director, the CUC’s full-time staff comprises an assistant director, two attorneys and one administrative assistant. Compared to the resources of the regulated utilities and the Commission, the CUC operates within the constraints of a very tight budget. Still, in 2006 the CUC actively participated in every important regulatory proceeding involving PSC-regulated utilities.