Substitute House Bill No. 6525
          Substitute House Bill No. 6525

               PUBLIC ACT NO. 97-3


AN   ACT   CONCERNING  THE  PARTICIPATION  OF  THE
DEPARTMENT  OF  PUBLIC  UTILITY   CONTROL   BEFORE
FEDERAL AGENCIES.


    Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and House of
Representatives in General Assembly convened:
    Section   1.  Section  16-6a  of  the  general
statutes  is  repealed  and   the   following   is
substituted in lieu thereof:
    (a)  The  Department of Public Utility Control
is authorized to participate in proceedings before
agencies of the federal government AND THE FEDERAL
COURTS  on  matters  affecting  utility   services
rendered or to be rendered in this state.
    (b) FROM THE  EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF  THIS ACT TO
APRIL  1, 1999,  FOR  ANY  PROCEEDING  BEFORE  THE
FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION OR THE UNITED
STATES  NUCLEAR REGULATORY  COMMISSION  OR  APPEAL
THEREOF, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, UPON REQUEST OF THE
DEPARTMENT, MAY RETAIN  OUTSIDE  LEGAL  COUNSEL IN
ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION  3-125  TO  PARTICIPATE IN
SUCH PROCEEDINGS ON  BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT. ALL
REASONABLE AND PROPER  EXPENSES  OF  SUCH  OUTSIDE
LEGAL COUNSEL SHALL BE BORNE BY THE PUBLIC SERVICE
COMPANIES  AFFECTED  BY   THE  DECISIONS  OF  SUCH
PROCEEDINGS AND SHALL BE PAID AT SUCH TIMES AND IN
SUCH MANNER AS  THE  DEPARTMENT  DIRECTS, PROVIDED
SUCH EXPENSES SHALL  BE  APPORTIONED IN PROPORTION
TO EACH AFFECTED COMPANY'S REVENUES AS REPORTED TO
THE DEPARTMENT FOR  PURPOSES  OF SECTION 16-49 FOR
THE MOST RECENT  PERIOD, AND PROVIDED FURTHER SUCH
EXPENSES  SHALL  NOT   EXCEED  TWO  HUNDRED  FIFTY
THOUSAND  DOLLARS PER  PROCEEDING,  INCLUDING  ANY
APPEALS THEREOF, IN  ANY  CALENDAR YEAR UNLESS THE
DEPARTMENT  FINDS GOOD  CAUSE  FOR  EXCEEDING  THE
LIMIT  AND  THE   AFFECTED   COMPANIES   HAVE   AN
OPPORTUNITY, AFTER REASONABLE  NOTICE,  TO COMMENT
ON THE PROPOSED  OVERAGE.  ALL SUCH LEGAL EXPENSES
SHALL BE RECOGNIZED  BY  THE  DEPARTMENT AS PROPER
BUSINESS EXPENSES OF  THE  AFFECTED  COMPANIES FOR
RATE-MAKING  PURPOSES,  AS   PROVIDED  IN  SECTION
16-19e.
    Sec.  2.  This  act shall take effect from its
passage.

Approved February 14, 1997