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Last Updated: April 2007
03/02: The North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) issued
an interim report regarding the Investigation of Green and Public Benefit Fund
Voluntary Check-Off Programs to the Study Commission on the Future of Electric
Service in North Carolina. According to the report,
the NCUC requested "that the Commission continue to work with the
stakeholders to implement a statewide green power program for North Carolina,"
but "not adopt a voluntary public benefit fund check-off program at this
time." The Commission wanted to concentrate voluntary contributions on
green power because public benefit programs were already successful and well
established at the time.
02/01: The North Carolina Utilities Commission issued an order that initiated an investigation "on the creation of voluntary "green" and "public benefit fund" check off programs." The NCUC was scheduled to issue a report to the Study Commission on the Future of Electric Service. A hearing would be held on April 3, 2001 to discuss the comments of the Carolina Power & Light Company, Duke Power, Dominion North Carolina Power, North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation, ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc.
01/01: The legislation study panel decided more study of restructuring issues was needed before recommending to the legislature to open the state to competition by 2005, as previously recommended. The studies would focus on consumer protections and ways to encourage power plant construction in the State.
12/00: The Utilities Commission staff issued its comments, recommending a limited deregulation plan to a legislative panel. The legislative panel had been working for two years and was scheduled to present recommendations on restructuring to the General Assembly by January 2001. In light of California's market dysfunction, the Utilities Commission recommended that restructuring in North Carolina proceed slowly and with caution. Also, a representative for ElectriCities, which collectively had $5.5 billion in debt and were concerned about their ability for repayment under restructuring, recommended to the legislative panel that no restructuring take place until the Commission could demonstrate that there would be a benefit for consumers.
09/00: The Study Commission on the Future of Electric Service in North Carolina wanted to draft a model restructuring bill to submit to state legislators when the next General Assembly session started in January 2001. At a commission meeting, several panel members suggested that the commission look into this summer's price spikes in California before proceeding.
07/00: House Bill 1840 provided funding for the Study Commission on the Future of Electric Service in North Carolina until June 30, 2006.
07/00: House Bill 1593 allowed the Study Commission to report periodically to the General Assembly until June 30, 2006.
07/00: Senate Bill 1385 added a 30th member to the Study Commission, the Chief Executive Officer of North Carolina Power Company or the Chief Executive Officer's designee.
04/00: The Study Commission issued its final report with recommendations to open retail electricity markets to half of consumers by January 2005, and the other half by January 2006. The study also recommended a rate freeze until January 2005 to allow utilities to pay down stranded costs and implementation of a public benefit fund for low-income, renewable energy, and energy efficiency programs. The issue of municipals' stranded costs was not addressed. Legislators were scheduled to review the Study Commission's recommendations in the 2000 short session, and consider enacting restructuring legislation in the longer 2001 session.
03/99: Research Triangle Institute issued a final report to the NCUC as part of its ongoing investigation into electric power industry restructuring. The RTI reports contained recommendations for a restructured electric industry including: potential distribution reliability problems, forming a regional transmission group, certification of all electricity suppliers, and consumer safeguards. The final report on stranded costs analyzed four options for ensuring fairness to the consumers and the utilities, especially the municipals. Municipals in North Carolina had a total bond debt of approximately $5.8 billion at the time, much of it in relatively expensive nuclear generation.
08/98: At a "Mayor's Day" event, mayors and city officials urged the legislature to pass restructuring legislation to prevent large industrials from relocating and thus protect the economies of North Carolina cities and the State.
07/98: Research Triangle Institute produced a report for the Study Commission on the Future of Electric Service in North Carolina that summarized the rate disparity between publicly owned and private utilities in the State. The report recommended the Legislature pass deregulation legislation in 1999.
05/98: House Bill 778 added six members to the Study Commission, three members of the State House of Representatives and three members of the State Senate.
11/97: The Study Commission commenced its work to investigate restructuring in North Carolina and determine whether legislation was needed. Reports were due to the General Assembly in 1998 and 1999.
09/97: The NCUC reopened electric restructuring Docket concerning emerging issues in the electric industry.
04/97: Senate Bill 38 established a 23-member Study Commission on the Future of Electric Service in North Carolina. A report was due by 1999 to the legislature.