Engaging with LPSC Dockets

01.01.2024

Resources

Louisiana Public Service Commission

Getting Started

Decisions at the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) are generally made through a docketed process, allowing for public involvement.

Intervening in LPSC Dockets

Dockets are published in the LPSC bi-monthly Bulletin. These Bulletins are posted on the LPSC website generally on the second and fourth Fridays of the month. Following publishing, the public has 25 days to Intervene unless otherwise noted. Although, don’t be discouraged, late intervention is almost always allowed! The full intervention rules can be found here.

Just about anyone can become involved by intervening in a docket and becoming a stakeholder, but there is a process to get on the list. Here’s a quick breakdown.

Who Is Considered a Stakeholder?

A Stakeholder is any individual or entity that has a vested interest in the docket. That could include:

A Louisiana resident who pays an electricity bill
A housing organization concerned about impacts of utility costs on affordable housing
A neighborhood group interested in community solar or opposed to a new gas plant in their community

How to Intervene

In order to intervene in a docket you have to complete a petition for intervention and a cover letter.

Interventions can be submitted via fax, hand delivery or by mail to the LPSC’s Records & Recording Division.

Fax filing: This option is convenient if a deadline is quickly approaching.. With this option, the document needs to be faxed to the LPSC’s Records & Recording Division by 4:30pm on the day of the deadline, and circulated (via email is fine) to the Service List. Following the fax submittal, the original document and two copies must be mailed to the LPSC, along with the fax filing fee (a check to the LPSC for $25) within five (5) business days. NOTE: filings done by fax cannot exceed 25 pages.
Mail-in filing: Just print out your documents, make two copies, drop it in the mail and circulate via email to the Service List. Overnight mail with services like FedEx and UPS are accepted as well.
Hand Delivery: A pretty self-explanatory option, although accessing the building can be tricky. You’ll need to go to the Galvez Building in Baton Rouge, check in with security and take the elevator up to the 11th floor.

Late Interventions

Maybe you missed the deadline, or are new to the LPSC game, you can still jump in! You’ll just need to Petition the Commission to Intervene Out of Time. Feel free to use these templates below! Depending on the type of docket, the Petition is reviewed and other Stakeholders may be given the opportunity to object within a specified time period. Given no objections, you’ll be granted Intervenor status.

What Does it Mean to be an Intervenor?

As an intervenor you will be added to the official service list for the docket, meaning that you will be notified via email about filings, comment opportunities, and deadlines in that docket.

Interested Party Status

Becoming an Interested Party in a docket is a great way to keep up to date on open proceedings.

You’ll be added to the Service List and receive emails when documents are filed in the docket.
You will not have an opportunity to file comments, ask questions, or submit testimony.

Feel free to use our Interested Party template, and follow the same process for submitting.

What is the Service List?

Each docket has a ‘Service List’ of Intervenors, Interested Parties, LPSC Staff, Commissioners, Consultants, etc. It’s really just a contact list of stakeholders involved. This can be found in each docket, however, like many governmental agencies, the LPSC’s website is not exactly user friendly.

Here are the basics:

The right-hand panel posts the most recent updates. This is where the Bulletin & LPSC agendas are posted.
The navigation menu at the top of the page has links to all sorts of interesting stuff, but we’re focused on the Service List right now, so click on ‘Document Access’.
- Then click ‘Search for Dockets’ at the top of the page and enter the docket number in the field on the left-hand side.
- The docket number will be published in the Bulletin, but if you missed it, just ask us!
Let’s use the Energy Efficiency Rulemaking as an example, type in R-31106 into the Docket Number field, hit search, then click on the hyperlink with the docket number. You are now in the docket! This is where you can find all of the documents filed into the docket and if you scroll down, you have the Service List.

Understanding LPSC’s Docket System

LPSC Rulemakings and Utility Applications are the two most common docketed proceedings. Here’s a breakdown on their differences & what to expect during the proceedings:

LPSC ‘Rulemaking’

Any Commissioner can direct LPSC Staff to open a rulemaking docket to create new policies and/or programs, such as Energy Efficiency and Demand Response programs.

These are listed as “R” dockets and open to Intervention by any and all stakeholders.
These proceedings are usually more collaborative in nature, with a back and forth between LPSC Staff and Intervenors in the form of draft rules and written comments.
Following a comment period, there are often ‘Technical Conferences’ where all parties come together to discuss their comments. There is no procedural schedule, no Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) and no settlement negotiations.
Once LPSC Staff has finalized a draft rule, it goes before the full Commission for a vote. The Commissioners can approve, deny, or modify as they see fit.

A Utility Application Filing

Any LPSC jurisdictional utility must file an application for LPSC approval for things like rate increases, new generation (i.e. power plants, solar farms), and tariff offerings- like green tariffs or interruptible service riders.

These are listed as “U” dockets and similarly open to Intervention by any and all stakeholders.
These are legal proceedings, presided by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) with an agreed upon procedural schedule that ends with an Administrative Hearing.
Intervenors can ask questions of the company by submitting a Request for Information (RFI) or Discovery, and further submit testimony in support or opposition of the company’s request.
If the proceeding goes to Hearing, counsel for the utility and intervenors can present their case to the ALJ, who then issues a recommendation to the Commissioners for vote.
The Commissioners again can approve, deny or modify the company’s proposal and/or the recommendation from the ALJ. However, many of these proceedings go into settlement negotiations, where the Intervenors work together with LPSC Staff and the company to stop the procedural schedule and negotiate a settlement. If a settlement is reached by all, or some, of the Intervenors it goes to the Commission for a vote either as an uncontested or contested settlement, and the Commissioners can approve or deny the settlement.