Opinion ID: 1426852
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: statutory authority of the psc under the public utilities act prior to amendment

Text: As stated above, the parties do not contest the PSC's power to set rates for the EAS prior to the enactment of the Telecommunications Act. U S West argues, however, that nothing in Title 37 of the Wyoming Statutes allows the PSC to take revenues derived from an additive price for a service U S WEST provides and pay those revenues to Silver Star to subsidize its EAS revenue loss. Our review of the relevant statutes compels a different conclusion. Wyo. Stat. § 37-3-113, which no longer applies to telecommunications pursuant to Wyo. Stat. § 37-15-408, conferred a duty on the PSC to establish joint rates and charges for the transportation of messages over the lines or systems of other similar public utilities. Wyo. Stat. §§ 37-3-107 and 37-3-108, also no longer applicable, provided in pertinent part: § 37-3-107. Rates for joint service by public utilities. When joint service is participated in by two or more public utilities the commission    may ascertain, determine, and fix for such services just and reasonable rates, which shall be charged, enforced, collected and observed by such public utilities. § 37-3-108. Apportionment of joint rates. Whenever the public utilities involved shall fail to agree among themselves upon the apportionment or division of any joint rate established by the commission   , the commission may issue a supplemental order declaring the apportionment or division of such joint rate. Here, pursuant to Wyo. Stat. § 37-3-107, the PSC set a rate to be applied throughout Star Valley for the implementation of a local exchange provided by two telecommunications companies. The original order declared, as requested by the parties, that the outcome was to be revenue neutral, i.e., that U S West and Silver Star were to recoup the net revenue formerly supplied by long distance charges through rate increases. When the parties did not agree on the apportionment of the rates, pursuant to Wyo. Stat. § 37-3-108, Silver Star requested and was granted a supplemental order directing U S West to remit an annual sum in monthly payments to Silver Star. The PSC's factual determinations and the reasonableness of the PSC's decision are not issues before this court. We therefore find that the PSC's order directing payment to Silver Star, as an apportionment of the joint rates established for the implementation of the Star Valley EAS, was within the PSC's authority under the Public Utilities Act.