52 Pa. Code § 53.51a
The following words and terms, when used in § 53.51, this section and § § 53.52—53.56a, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
EMOF—Emergency maintenance and operation fund—An expense claim, by a small water public utility or a small wastewater public utility, in lieu of a cash working capital claim which may be allowable in anticipation of emergencies as a restricted reserve account.
FPFTY—Fully projected future test year—A 12-consecutive-month period beginning with the first month that the new rates will be in effect after the application of the full suspension period permitted under 66 Pa.C.S. § 1308(d) (relating to voluntary changes in rates) and reflecting estimated results of operations of the public utility.
FTY—Future test year—A 12-consecutive-month period beginning the day after the end of the HTY.
General rate increase—A tariff, tariff revision or tariff supplement defined under 66 Pa.C.S. § 1308(d) which affects more than 5% of the customers and amounts to in excess of 3% of the total gross annual intrastate operating revenues of the public utility.
HTY—Historic test year—The experienced 12-consecutive-month period corresponding to one of the following time frames:
(2) For a public utility not subject to paragraph (1), either of the following:
(B) The experienced 12-consecutive-month period ending no later than 120 days prior to the rate filing.
Major rate increase filing—A proposed general rate increase that modifies the public utility’s annual revenues from base rates subject to regulation under 66 Pa.C.S. § 1308 by more than $5 million.
Reserve account—A segregated account of a small water public utility or a small wastewater public utility, to be funded by customer contributions collected by the small water public utility or the small wastewater public utility through base rates for the purpose of making capital improvements to utility plant pursuant to a long-range plan developed in conjunction with the Commission or the Department of Environmental Protection or as required to assure compliance with Federal or State safe drinking water statutes or regulations.
Small wastewater public utility—A jurisdictional wastewater public utility with average gross annual revenue of less than $250,000 (in all cases, annual revenue excludes contributions in aid of construction and advances for construction). The term also includes a municipal corporation providing jurisdictional wastewater service outside of its corporate limits with average gross annual revenue for service of less than $250,000 (in all cases, annual revenue excludes contributions in aid of construction, advances for construction and non-jurisdictional operating revenue). Average gross annual revenue is calculated as an average of gross annual operating revenue for the last 3 calendar years.
Small water public utility—A jurisdictional water public utility with average gross annual revenue of less than $250,000 (in all cases, annual revenue excludes contributions in aid of construction and advances for construction). The term also includes a municipal corporation providing jurisdictional water service outside of its corporate limits with average gross annual revenue for the service of less than $250,000 (in all cases, annual revenue excludes contributions in aid of construction, advances for construction, and non-jurisdictional operating revenue). Average gross annual revenue is calculated as an average of gross annual operating revenue for the last 3 calendar years.
Test year—The 12-consecutive-month period used by the public utility in discharging its burden of proof under 66 Pa.C.S. § 315(a) (relating to burden of proof).
The provisions of this § 53.51a added under 66 Pa.C.S. § § 315, 501, 1301, 1304, 1308, 1350—1360 and 1501.
The provisions of this § 53.51a added August 29, 2025, effective August 30, 2025, 55 Pa.B. 6180.
This section cited in 52 Pa. Code § 53.51 (relating to general); and 52 Pa. Code § 53.54 (relating to applicability; small water public utilities and small wastewater public utilities).