The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia was
established by Congress in 1913 as an independent District government agency to regulate the electric, natural gas and telephone companies serving the city.
As an independent, quasi-judicial agency in the District government, the DCPSC functions like a court and the Commissioners fill the role of judges. All staff involved in formal cases are advisors to the Commissioners. This includes the Commissioners’ staff, the Office of the General Counsel (OGC), the Office of the Executive Director, the Office of Technical and Regulatory Analysis (OTRA) and, in some cases, the Office of Consumer Services (OCS).
Additionally, our administrative staff serve the role of a court clerk and OCS provides mediation services to consumers and businesses when complaints against utility companies arise. OGC staff serve as hearing officers when formal hearings are requested and OTRA manages the natural gas pipeline safety program.
Regulatory Jurisdiction
The DCPSC has jurisdiction over the electric (Pepco), natural gas (Washington Gas) and local telephone (Verizon) companies in the District.
- Electric
Pepco has a monopoly over the distribution of electricity to consumers, but the Commission also regulates Competitive Electric Generation and Transmission Suppliers who supply the generation and interstate transmission of electricity to Pepco’s distribution system.
- Natural Gas
Washington Gas, a WGL company, has a monopoly over the distribution of natural gas to consumers, but the Commission also regulates Competitive Commodity Gas Suppliers who supply the natural gas that flows through WGL’s pipes and mains.
- Local Landline Telephone
Verizon provides landline telephone service to the District. The Commission also regulates Competitive Local Exchange Carriers.
Budget
The DCPSC annual budget comes from the companies we regulate — not from taxpayers — and is allocated for personnel and non-personnel services.
- Budget assessments
The DCPSC assesses the three utility companies it regulates — Pepco, Washington Gas and Verizon — as well as alternative electric and natural gas suppliers and Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs) to fund its annual operating budget. The Commission conducts an annual survey to obtain the revenues of electric, natural gas and telephone utility companies, as well as alternative electric and natural gas suppliers and Competitive Local Exchange Carriers serving the District for the previous calendar year. Other companies’ shares of the Commission’s budget are based on their shares of total utility industry revenue in the District, minus the aggregate amount of the first-year CLECs’ payments.
- Formal case assessments
The DCPSC assesses the utility companies for the cost of formal proceedings.
- Rate cases: The Commission can assess no more than one-quarter of 1% of the jurisdictional value of the utility company, per case.
- Non-rate cases: The Commission can assess no more than one-twentieth of 1% of the jurisdictional value of the utility company for the calendar year.