1. (a) In order that the Commission may be concurrently advised of the net effect of a proposed change in rates upon the customers and the revenues of a public utility, as well as the prima facie reasonableness of the proposed rate changes, the data called for in this section and § § 53.51a—53.56a, as appropriate, must accompany the filing of the proposed rates.

   1. (1) A public utility, as the term is defined in 66 Pa.C.S. § 102 (relating to definitions), that owns or operates in this Commonwealth equipment or facilities for at least one of the following activities:

      1. (i) Producing, generating, transmitting, distributing or furnishing natural or artificial gas, electricity or steam for the production of light, heat or power to or for the public for compensation.
      2. (ii) Diverting, developing, pumping, impounding, distributing or furnishing water to or for the public for compensation.
      3. (iii) Wastewater collection, treatment or disposal for the public for compensation.
      4. (iv) Conveying or transmitting messages or telecommunications, except any person or corporation, not otherwise a public utility, who or which furnishes mobile domestic cellular radio telecommunication service, by telephone or telegraph or domestic public land mobile radio service including point-to-point microwave radio service for the public for compensation.
   2. (2) A city natural gas distribution operation, as the term is defined in 66 Pa.C.S. § 102 and used in the provisions of 66 Pa.C.S. § 2212 (relating to city natural gas distribution operations).

   (a.1) Each of the following jurisdictional entities listed in paragraphs (1) and (2) are subject to this section and § § 53.51a—53.56a. For purposes of providing the data called for in this section and § § 53.51a—53.56a to accompany the filing of proposed rates, each of the entities described in paragraphs (1) and (2) are subject to the same filing requirements as a public utility, as the term is used in the singular or plural throughout this section and § § 53.51a—53.56a.

2. (b) A public utility shall file with the Commission an original of the proposed rate changes and of the data required under this chapter. If necessary or appropriate, the Commission may request additional copies.

3. (c) No tariff or tariff supplement will be deemed perfected for filing purposes until all supporting data required by this chapter to accompany the tariff or tariff supplement are filed with the Commission. A tariff or tariff supplement not accompanied by the required supporting data is not perfected for filing purposes and will be rejected unless the Commission, by order and for good cause shown, allows the tariff or tariff supplement to be filed. If a tariff or tariff supplement filing is deemed not perfected and is rejected because it is not in compliance with this chapter, the Commission will notify the sender, within 30 days after the filing, that the filing is not perfected, and will, in the notice, set forth specifically the deficiencies in the filing.

   1. (1) When a tariff or tariff supplement filing is rejected in accordance with this subsection, the sender, in submitting an amended filing, shall submit a new proposed effective date, not earlier than 60 days after the amended filing is perfected, for the tariff or tariff supplement.
   2. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, if the Commission fails to notify the sender within 30 days that a tariff or tariff supplement is not perfected and is rejected because it is not accompanied by the required data, with deficiencies specifically set forth in the notice, the tariff or tariff supplement will be deemed perfected for filing purposes and will be filed as of the date it was first filed with the Commission.

   3. (3) The Commission may provide a standard form or forms for use by a public utility in its filing to show that the data called for in this section and § § 53.51a—53.56a, as appropriate, has been filed with the Commission.

      1. (i) Notice of a Commission proposal for a standard form or a change to a standard form will be posted on the Commission’s website and published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on the proposal. Adoption of a standard form will be subject to formal approval by the Commission.
      2. (ii) A standard form that has been approved by the Commission will be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and available for download from the Commission’s website.
4. (d) A public utility filing a proposed rate change with the Commission shall serve a copy of the proposed rate change and supporting data required by this chapter upon the Office of Consumer Advocate, the Office of the Small Business Advocate, the Commission’s Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement and the Commission’s Bureau of Technical Utility Services. Additionally, the public utility shall file a certificate of service of this information with the Commission.
5. (e) This subchapter is effective upon publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. A public utility subject to this subchapter shall comply with this subchapter no later than 9 months after the effective date of this subchapter. A public utility subject to this subchapter may comply with this subchapter earlier than the compliance date of this subchapter. For proceedings commenced prior to the compliance date of this subchapter, a public utility subject to this subchapter need not bring the proceedings into compliance with this subchapter.

Authority

The provisions of this § 53.51 amended under 66 Pa.C.S. § § 315, 501, 504, 523, 1301, 1304, 1308, 1350—1360, 1501 and 1504.

Source

The provisions of this § 53.51 amended through November 27, 1981, effective November 28, 1981, 11 Pa.B. 4157; amended January 10, 2014, effective January 11, 2014, 44 Pa.B. 249; amended August 29, 2025, effective August 30, 2025, 55 Pa.B. 6180. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (337334) and (369829).

Cross References

This section cited in 52 Pa. Code § 53.10 (relating to letter of transmittal); 52 Pa. Code § 53.51a (relating to definitions); 52 Pa. Code § 53.52 (relating to applicability); 52 Pa. Code § 53.62 (relating to additional information to be filed by gas utilities with gross annual intrastate operating revenues in excess of $40 million seeking a change in base rates); 52 Pa. Code § 53.103 (relating to concurrently furnished information); and 52 Pa. Code § 54.93 (relating to manner of filing).