The SFY 2013-2014 enacted budget expanded PSC oversight and enforcement authority over gas and electric companies to ensure greater compliance with Public Service Law, regulations and orders of the PSC. The legislation required enhanced storm preparation and response. Additionally, the legislation changed PSC's means of penalizing gas and electric corporations for violations of safety and reliability. Previously, PSC was required to petition a state court for recovery of penalties. Under the new structure, PSC is authorized to levy administrative penalties against utilities for violations. The oversight reforms also included enhanced management and operations audits of gas and electric corporations and electric generators. In enacting these enhanced powers, the Legislature was responding to previous weather events that left millions of New Yorkers without electricity for extended periods of time. This hearing will examine the PSC's implementation of regulations and orders necessary to carry out the reforms intended by this legislation.

Persons invited to present pertinent testimony to the Committees at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes' duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committees will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committees would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to further publicize these hearings, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committees' interest in hearing testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

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Persons invited to present testimony at the public hearing on PSC's enhanced oversight of electric and gas corporations are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and mail, email or fax it to: