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PRINTER'S NO. 3719
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2676
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY PUGH, M. JONES, OLSOMMER AND WALSH, JUNE 29, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION, TECHNOLOGY AND
UTILITIES, JUNE 29, 2026
AN ACT
Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in powers and duties, further
providing for audits of certain utilities.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 516(a), (b) and (c) of Title 66 of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
§ 516. Audits of certain utilities.
(a) General rule.--The commission shall provide for
comprehensive audits of any electric, gas, telephone or water
utility whose plant in service is valued at not less than
$10,000,000[. The audits shall include an examination of
management effectiveness and operating efficiency. The
commission] and shall establish procedures for comprehensive
audits of the operations of utilities as provided in this
section. [Audits] The following apply:
(1) Comprehensive audits shall be conducted at least
once every [five years unless the commission finds that a
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specific audit is unnecessary, but in no event shall audits
be conducted less than once every eight years.] three years
and shall include an assessment of:
(i) management performance, effectiveness and
organizational structure;
(ii) operating efficiency and cost-control measures;
(iii) internal accounting and financial controls;
(iv) capital investment planning and project
management;
(v) customer service performance and billing
accuracy;
(vi) compliance with commission regulations and
previous audit recommendations; and
(vii) any other metric determined by the commission
as needed.
(2) A summary of the comprehensive audits mandated by
this subsection shall be released to the public, and a
complete copy of the comprehensive audits shall be provided
to the Office of Trial Staff and the Office of Consumer
Advocate.
(b) Management efficiency investigations.--In addition to
the comprehensive audits mandated by subsection (a), the
commission shall appoint a management efficiency investigator
who shall [periodically], at least once every three years,
examine the management effectiveness and operating efficiency of
all utilities required to be audited under subsection (a) and
monitor the utility company responses to the comprehensive
audits required by subsection (a). For the purposes of carrying
out the periodic audit required by this subsection and for
carrying out the monitoring of comprehensive audits required by
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subsection (a), the commission is hereby empowered to direct the
management efficiency investigator to conduct such
investigations through and with teams made up of commission
staff and/or independent [consulting firms] qualified auditors;
further, the commission may designate specific items of
management effectiveness and operating efficiency to be
investigated. The management efficiency investigator shall
provide an annual report to the commission, the affected
utility, the Office of Trial Staff and the Office of Consumer
Advocate detailing the findings of such investigations.
(c) Use of independent auditing firms.--The commission [may]
shall require an audit under subsection (a) or (b) to be
performed by an independent [consulting firm] qualified auditor.
When the commission, under either subsection (a) or (b), orders
an audit to be performed by an independent [consulting firm]
qualified auditor, the commission, after consultation with the
utility, shall select the [firm] auditor and require the utility
to enter into a contract with the [firm] auditor providing for
payment of the [firm] auditor by the utility. The terms of the
contract shall include all reasonable expenses directly related
to the performance of the comprehensive audit or to the
management efficiency investigation activities of independent
[consulting firms] qualified auditors at the utility, as well as
their preparation and presentation of testimony in any contested
litigation which may be undertaken as a result of the audit
findings under subsection (a) or (b). That contract shall
require the [audit firm] independent qualified auditor to work
under the direction of the commission.
* * *
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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