The New York State Public Service Commission seeks public comments on a Joint Proposal regarding Village of Rockville Centre’s (Rockville Centre or Village) proposed rates.  Opportunities to comment include public statement hearings, which will be held before an Administrative Law Judge.

It is not necessary to make an appointment in advance or present written material to speak at the hearings.  Persons will be called to speak after completing a request card.  The hearings will be held open for a minimum of one hour, and will continue until everyone wishing to speak has been heard or other reasonable arrangements are made.

Disabled persons requiring special accommodations may place a collect call to the Department of Public Service's Human Resources Management Office at 518-474-2520.  TDD users may request a sign language interpreter by placing a call through the New York Relay Service at 711 to reach the Department of Public Service’s Human Resource Management Office at the previously mentioned number.

Public Statement Hearings
Tuesday, May 29, 2012

6:30 p.m.

 Incorporated Village of Rockville Centre
Village Court
1 College Place
Rockville Centre, New York

Background

On October 27, 2011, Rockville Centre filed with the Commission revised rates designed to recover $3,492,000 in additional annual revenues which would constitute an overall increase of 16.87%.  Rockville Centre last filed for a rate increase in 2003 and the current filing includes costs of inflation, retirement, medical, dental, labor, tax equivalent and debt.  Settlement negotiations took place in March and April 2012, and an agreement in principle was reached on April 18, 2012.  Department of Public Service (DPS) Staff and Rockville Centre filed a Joint Proposal on May 2, 2012.

Summary of Joint Proposal

The Joint Proposal filed by Staff and Rockville Centre is for a term of 12 months, commencing September 29, 2012 or such earlier date as the Commission may approve.  It provides that the Village may change base rates to achieve an increase in overall revenues of 11.1% consistent with an increase in revenue requirement of $2,370,325 to total revenue.  Customers may see higher or lower percentage bill impacts due to rate design changes.  The increase is the result of a number of specific adjustments to the Village’s initial filing that have been agreed to by the Village and Staff, including an overall return on rate base of 3.89%.

The Commission may adopt or reject the parties’ proposal in whole or in part. 

For additional information about the case you may visit the Commission’s Website– http://www.dps.ny.gov – Click on “Search”, scroll down to the field, “Search by Case Number”, and enter 11-E-0590 in the search field. Click to view related documents.

How to Comment on the Case: your comments should refer to “Case 11-E-0590 – Village of Rockville Centre – Electric Rates.”

The Internet:  Comments may be submitted via the Internet in two ways: (1) by following the directions in the prior paragraph open “the Village of Rockville Centre’s” rate case and then click on “Post Comments”, or (2) by e-mailing comments directly to the Secretary to the Commission at [email protected]. Many libraries offer free Internet access.

Mail Written Comments:  Written comments may also be mailed to Hon. Jaclyn A. Brilling, Secretary, Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350.

Toll-Free Opinion Line:  Another way to submit comments is by calling the Commission’s toll-free Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120.  This line is set up to receive in-state calls 24-hours a day.

All statements and comments received by the Administrative Law Judge and the Commission will become part of the record in this proceeding and will be reported to the Commission.

Comments submitted via the Internet, mail, or phone are requested by June 6, 2012. 

Next Steps

The Commission will formally consider the case at one or more regularly scheduled public meetings.  Following its discussion and deliberations at such meetings, the Commission will issue a written order.

You can click here for a printable factsheet regarding information in this case.