S-691                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 4108

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Senator Williams

Read first time 2/8/85 and referred to Committee on Energy and Utilities.

AN ACT Relating to the review of public utility management decisions; and adding a new section to chapter 80.04 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 80.04 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) The commission may investigate the power planning procedures of public service companies regulated under this title to guard against abuses in management discretion.

          (2) If the commission finds that excess charges have been passed on to consumers because of abuses in management discretion, the amount of charges that exceeds what would have been charged had management exercised prudent management practices shall be refunded to ratepayers on a pro rata basis.