(a) Availability.--The commission shall promulgate rules and regulations concerning the rates, terms, conditions and availability of cogeneration in this Commonwealth. The commission shall require that utility rates to the public reflect the costs and savings to the utility from cogeneration, including, but not limited to, the costs incurred by utilities under contracts with nonutility generating unit project developers for the purchase of electric capacity or energy, or both; the costs recoverable under subsection (b) to buy out and cancel unfinished nonutility generating unit projects by mutual agreement of the project developer and the public utility; and the costs prudently incurred by utilities under a voluntary buyout, buydown or other restructured arrangement which are just and reasonable and which reduce the cost to customers of nonutility generating unit projects.
(b) Recovery of cancellation costs of nonutility generating unit projects.--A nonutility generating unit project is a generating unit project that is not owned by a public utility. If the construction of a nonutility generating unit project for which a public utility has a contract, whether entered into voluntarily or pursuant to commission order, to purchase project energy or project capacity and energy is canceled by mutual agreement of the project developer and the public utility prior to the unit's completion and operation, the public utility may recover all costs to be paid to the project developer and all costs directly related thereto which are prudently incurred as a result of such cancellation. The burden of proof to show that any costs claimed were prudently incurred shall be on the public utility. In reviewing a claim for such costs:
(1) the commission shall not disallow any portion solely on the basis that it constitutes an amount greater than actual development expenditures and all costs related thereto; and
(2) the commission shall consider the amount of the claim compared to the utility's total estimated costs of obligations under the contract.
(July 10, 1986, P.L.1238, No.114, eff. imd.; July 2, 1996, P.L.542, No.94, eff. imd.)
1996 Amendment. See the preamble and section 2 of Act 94 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to legislative findings and construction of act.
Cross References. Section 527 is referred to in sections 2803, 2804, 2808 of this title.
Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Section 502 - Enforcement proceedings by commission
Section 503 - Enforcement proceedings by Chief Counsel
Section 504 - Reports by public utilities
Section 505 - Duty to furnish information to commission; cooperation in valuing property
Section 506 - Inspection of facilities and records
Section 507 - Contracts between public utilities and municipalities
Section 508 - Power of the commission to vary, reform and revise contracts
Section 509 - Regulation of manufacture, sale or lease of appliances
Section 510 - Assessment for regulatory expenses upon public utilities
Section 511 - Disposition, appropriation and disbursement of assessments and fees
Section 511.1 - Use of Federal funds under energy program
Section 512 - Power of commission to require insurance
Section 512.1 - Power of commission to confiscate, impound and sell vehicles
Section 513 - Public letting of contracts
Section 515 - Construction cost of electric generating units
Section 516 - Audits of certain utilities
Section 517 - Conversion of electric generating units fueled by oil or natural gas
Section 518 - Construction of electric generating units fueled by nuclear energy
Section 519 - Construction of electric generating units fueled by oil or natural gas
Section 521 - Retirement of electric generating units
Section 522 - Expense reduction program
Section 523 - Performance factor consideration
Section 524 - Data to be supplied by electric utilities
Section 525 - Sale of generating units and power
Section 526 - Rejection of rate increase requests due to inadequate quality or quantity of service
Section 527 - Cogeneration rules and regulations
Section 528 - Use of foreign coal by qualifying facilities
Section 529 - Power of commission to order acquisition of small water and sewer utilities