Utility Rate Reform Act of 1980

Utility Rate Reform Act of 1980 - Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to include Federal standards relating to the retail rates charged by State regulated electric utilities. Sets forth Federal standards which require such utilities to: (1) charge rates to each class of electric consumer which reflect the costs of providing service to such class; (2) show the extent to which costs decrease as the consumption of a certain class increases before such utilities can decrease the rate for that class; (3) provide time-of-day rates to each class of consumer or, under certain conditions, to each consumer; (4) charge seasonal rates to each class of consumer; (5) offer each consumer an interruptible rate which reflects the cost of providing such service to the consumer's class; (6) offer load management techniques which have been approved by the State regulatory authority; (7) prohibit any such utility from increasing a rate pursuant to an automatic adjustment clause unless such clause meets certain requirements; (8) restrict or prohibit master metering of electric service in new buildings; and (9) inform their consumers about rate schedules. Prohibits discrimination against solar, wind, and small generating systems by the State regulated electric utilities. Permits the State regulatory authority or in the absence of action by a State authority, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, to determine if an electric utility meets Federal standards. Requires State authorities which determine compliance with Federal standards to report regularly to the Commission. Makes any Commission finding of non-compliance with Federal standards by an electric utility prima facie evidence of non-compliance. Prohibits any rate increases by a State regulated electric utility unless such utility complies with the Federal standards. Grants jurisdiction to Federal district courts to enjoin such utilities from increasing their rates without complying with the Federal standards. Allows the Federal court of appeals to review any State regulatory authority's determination of compliance with the Federal standards upon petition by the Commission, a State agency, a Federal agency or, under certain circumstances, an electric utility. Prohibits any opportunity for review of a determination of compliance except as stated in this Act.

Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on May 8, 1980. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.

Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.