Alaska § 42.05.175 - Timelines for issuance of final orders.

§ 42.05.175. Timelines for issuance of final orders.

 (a) The commission shall issue a final order not later than 180 days after a complete application is filed for an application        (1) for a certificate of public convenience and necessity;

 (2) to amend a certificate of public convenience and necessity;

 (3) to transfer a certificate of public convenience and necessity; and

 (4) to acquire a controlling interest in a certificated public utility.

 (b) Notwithstanding a suspension ordered under AS 42.05.421 , the commission shall issue a final order not later than 270 days after a complete tariff filing is made for a tariff filing that does not change the utility's revenue requirement or rate design.

 (c) Notwithstanding a suspension ordered under AS 42.05.421 , the commission shall issue a final order not later than 450 days after a complete tariff filing is made for a tariff filing that changes the utility's revenue requirement or rate design.

 (d) The commission shall issue a final order not later than 365 days after a complete formal complaint is filed against a utility or, when the commission initiates a formal investigation of a utility without the filing of a complete formal complaint, not later than 365 days after the order initiating the formal investigation is issued.

 (e) The commission shall issue a final order in a rule-making proceeding not later than 730 days after a complete petition for adoption, amendment, or repeal of a regulation under AS 44.62.180 — 44.62.290 is filed or, when the commission initiates a rule-making docket, not later than 730 days after the order initiating the proceeding is issued.

 (f) The commission may extend a timeline required under this section if all parties of record consent to the extension or if, for one time only, before the timeline expires, the        (1) commission reasonably finds that good cause exists to extend the timeline;

 (2) commission issues a written order extending the timeline and setting out its findings regarding good cause; and

 (3) extension of time is 90 days or less.

 (g) The commission shall file quarterly reports with the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee identifying all extensions ordered under (f) of this section during the previous quarter and including copies of the written orders issued under (f)(2) of this section.

 (h) If the commission does not issue and serve a final order regarding an application or suspended tariff under section (a), (b), or (c) of this section within the applicable timeline specified, and if the commission does not extend the timeline in accordance with (f) of this section, the application or suspended tariff filing shall be considered approved and shall go into effect immediately.

 (i) In adjudicated docket matters that come before the commission under state law or federal law and are not subject to a timeline under federal law or (a) — (e) of this section, the commission shall issue a final order not later than 180 days after the filing of an initiating petition. If the matter is commenced on the commission's own motion, the commission shall issue a final order not later than 365 days after the issuance of an order opening the docket. This subsection does not apply to a complaint against a utility, a petition to revoke a certificate of public convenience and necessity, or a functionally equivalent filing.

 (j) If the commission does not issue and serve a final order governed by (i) of this section within the applicable timeline specified, including any extension granted by the commission in accordance with (f) of this section, the initiating petition shall be considered approved and shall take effect immediately, or, if the matter was commenced by the commission, the docket shall be closed with no action taken.

 (k) If proceedings subject to different timelines under this section are consolidated or if a single proceeding implicates more than one timeline, the latest applicable deadline for the issuance of a final order shall apply.

 (l) The commission may not evade the requirement of this section by terminating a proceeding in a docket and opening a proceeding in another docket on substantially the same matter.

 (m) For purposes of this section, “final order” means a dispositive administrative order that resolves all matters at issue and that may be the basis for a petition for reconsideration or request for judicial review.

 (n) For purposes of this section, an application, tariff filing, formal complaint, or petition is complete if it complies with the filing, format, and content requirements established by statute, regulation, and forms adopted by the commission under regulation.