AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION -- 2025 UTILITY COMPANY BILLING TRANSPARENCY ACT

HB 5577, the "2025 Utility Company Billing Transparency Act," requires large electric and gas distribution companies (with over 100,000 customers) to provide clear explanations of charges on consumer bills, addressing confusion about costs like fees and taxes. It mandates that these companies file proposals with the Public Utilities Commission detailing how they will implement revenue decoupling - ensuring they aren’t incentivized to increase sales to boost profits - and includes annual reconciliation for revenue over- or under-recovery. The bill also requires companies to submit annual infrastructure and safety spending plans for commission review, aiming to align costs with service reliability. These changes directly affect major utility providers like Rhode Island Energy and aim to help residential customers better understand and manage their energy costs.