The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold an online public forum for customers of Independent Small Local Exchange Carriers (LECs) to offer input about the cost of capital requests for each company. The Small LECs in California are Calaveras Telephone Company, Cal-Ore Telephone Co., Ducor Telephone Company, Foresthill Telephone Co., Kerman Telephone Co., Pinnacles Telephone Company, Ponderosa Telephone Co., Sierra Telephone Company, Inc., Siskiyou Telephone Company, and Volcano Telephone Company.
WHAT: The public forum will begin with a brief overview of each phone company’s cost of capital requests. After that, the CPUC will hear comments from the public. Each company will have a representative available to answer questions about individual customer bills or service.
WHEN: Wed., June 21, 2023, 5 p.m.
WHERE: Remote access via webcast or phone for the public forum:
- Live video broadcast with English or Spanish captions via webcast: www.adminmonitor.com/ca/cpuc/hearing/20230621
- Participants who choose to participate via webcast will only have audio and video capabilities but will not be able to make verbal comments. If you would like to make a comment during the forum, the phone-in information is below.
- For captions, after clicking on the name of the forum, click the green button at the bottom of the video for captions. Then select captions by clicking on the white icon next to the word “live” at the bottom of the video.
- The forum will also be recorded and archived for future viewing.
- Public participation phone comment line: 800-857-1917, passcode: 1765767#
- Participants will have audio and will be able to make comments. (To make a comment, after entering the passcode, when prompted press *1, unmute your phone, and record your name.)
- Wait times depend on the number of speakers in the public comment queue. During times of high call volumes, wait times will be longer. The operator will call on you when it is your turn to speak.
You can also make your voice heard in this proceeding, and read the comments of others, on our online Docket Card comment section for the proceeding at apps.cpuc.ca.gov/c/A2209003.
BACKGROUND: On September 1, 2022, Calaveras, Cal-Ore, Ducor, Foresthill, Kerman, Pinnacles, Ponderosa, Sierra, Siskiyou, and Volcano Telephone Companies (collectively called the Independent Small LECs) submitted a joint application to the CPUC seeking approval to establish the cost of capital for each company’s ratemaking purposes. The cost of capital is the rate of return a company is authorized to recover on its investments in critical infrastructure required to deliver reliable service.
The Small LECs are small telephone companies serving different service territories throughout California. These telephone companies serve parts of the state that are more remote and sparsely populated and thus have different cost structures and infrastructure densities than the large telecommunication companies that are regulated by the CPUC.
The CPUC welcomes attendance and comments at the public forum, as public comments help the CPUC reach an informed decision. The Administrative Law Judge assigned to the proceeding is scheduled to issue a Proposed Decision in the case for consideration by the CPUC within a year.
While a quorum of Commissioners and/or their staff may attend the public forum, no official action will be taken on this matter.
If special accommodations are needed to attend, such as non-English or sign language interpreters, please contact the CPUC’s Public Advisor’s Office at public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov or toll-free at 866-849-8390 at least five business days in advance of the public forums.
Further information on public forums is available at www.cpuc.ca.gov/pph.
The Ruling setting the public forum is available at docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M509/K332/509332525.PDF.
Documents related to this proceeding are available at apps.cpuc.ca.gov/p/A2209003.
To receive electronic updates on CPUC proceedings, sign-up for the CPUC’s free subscription service at subscribecpuc.cpuc.ca.gov.
The CPUC regulates services and utilities, protects consumers, safeguards the environment, and assures Californians’ access to safe and reliable utility infrastructure and services. For more information on the CPUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.
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