Second attempt of Congressman Mike Ross (D-AR) to pass Anti-BPL Bill

CONGRESS: ANTI-BPL BILL REINTRODUCED

Congressman Mike Ross (D-AR) has introduced legislation "To request a study by the Federal Communications Commission on the interference caused by broadband internet transmission over power lines." The bill, H.R. 462, was introduced on Friday, and the text is not available yet. It is likely that the substance of the bill is similar to the legislation that he introduced last year that was passed by the House of Representatives as an amendment to the telecom rewrite legislation in the 109th Congress. That bill called for a 90-day study by the FCC. The UPLC opposed that bill and a companion amendment never made its way into the draft of the Senate version of the telecom rewrite. Now that Rep. Ross has introduced the bill in the 110th Congress, UPLC will continue to oppose this bill as a waste of taxpayer money and an obstacle to the deployment of BPL for broadband services and enhanced utility applications. For more information, contact the UPLC Legal/Regulatory Department.



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STATES: INDIANA BPL BILL INTRODUCED

A new BPL bill was introduced in Indiana in January that would allow the Indiana Public Utility Commission (PUC) to create certain incentives for utilities to deploy BPL for utility applications. The bill (HB 1068) was introduced by Eric Koch (R, District 65). Specifically, the bill requires utilities to record and account for the electric utility's capital investment and the operating expenses reasonably incurred to directly support: (1) the electric utility applications; and (2) all other BPL services; used or consumed by the electric utility. The bill authorizes the PUC to authorize 3 different kinds of incentives for BPL deployment. It may allow (1) Cost recovery of BPL expenditures (2) An enhanced return on equity on the capital portion of the electric utility's BPL expenditures for utility applications; or (3) Deferral for subsequent recovery of the electric utility's BPL expenditures for utility applications. A utility may request expedited consideration of the cost allocation of BPL expenses between the utility and its affiliate. The bill also requires BPL to comply with FCC interference rules.