§ 120-70.3. Powers and duties. - North Carolina Statutes

§120‑70.3.  Powers and duties.

The Joint Committee shall havethe following powers and duties:

(1)        To evaluate theactions of the North Carolina Utilities Commission, including the review of itsinterim and final orders, to the end that the members of the General Assemblymay better judge whether these actions serve the best interest of the citizensof North Carolina, individual and corporate.

(2)        To analyze theoperations of the several utility companies doing business in North Carolina,including review of their programs, projects, sources and amounts of income,performance and accomplishments, and determination of whether expenditures werein all cases appropriate and necessary.

(3)        To inquire into therole of the North Carolina Utilities Commission, the Public Staff, and theseveral utility companies in the development of alternate sources of energy.

(4)        To inquire into theindividual and collective effort of the utility companies to encourage theconservation of energy and thus reduce requirements for additional generatingfacilities.

(5)        To review andevaluate changes in federal law and regulation, or changes brought about bycourt actions, as well as changes in technology affecting utilities, todetermine whether the State's laws require modification as a result of thosechanges.

(6)        To submitevaluations to the General Assembly, from time to time, of the performance ofthe North Carolina Utilities Commission, the Public Staff, and the variousutilities operating in the State.  A proposed draft of such evaluations shallbe submitted to the North Carolina Utilities Commission, the Public Staff andthe affected public utilities prior to submission to the General Assembly andthe affected entity shall be given an opportunity to be heard before the JointCommittee prior to the completion of the evaluation and its submission to theGeneral Assembly.

(7)        To make reports andrecommendations to the General Assembly, from time to time, on matters relatingto the powers and duties set out in this section.

(8)        To undertake suchadditional studies or evaluations as may, from time to time, be requested bythe President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House ofRepresentatives, the Legislative Research Commission, or either House of theGeneral Assembly. (1985, c. 499, s. 1; 1991, c. 739, s. 2.)