What is an Advice Letter?

An Advice Letter is a request by a utility for Commission approval, authorization, or other relief, including a request for approval to change rates, charges, terms or conditions contained in the utility's tariffs currently in effect.  An Advice Letter is an informal request made to the Commission outside a formal proceeding such as an application, complaint, investigation, or rulemaking at the Commission.  The Advice Letter process provides a quick and simplified review of the types of utility requests that are expected neither to be controversial nor to raise important policy questions.  The Advice Letter process does not provide for an evidentiary hearing. 

The primary use of the Advice Letter process is to:

•  Review a utility's request to change its tariffs in compliance with a statute or Commission order;
•  Conform the tariffs to the requirements of a statute or Commission order; or
•  Get Commission authorization to deviate from its tariffs.    

The Commission has also authorized general rate case requests for Class B (less than 10,000 connections), Class C (less than 2000 connections), and Class D (less than 500 connections) water and sewer utilities through an Advice Letter as opposed to a formal application.