AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- TRANSPARENCY IN ELECTRIC AND GAS BILLS ACT (Requires electric and gas utilities to provide a detailed breakdown of supply, delivery, and public policy costs on electric and gas bills, including specific costs for renewable energy sources, and mandate public comment and PUC approval.)

S2012

2026 -- S 2012
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- TRANSPARENCY IN ELECTRIC
AND GAS BILLS ACT

Introduced By:
Senators Rogers, de la Cruz, E Morgan, Raptakis, Paolino, Dimitri,
Tikoian, Patalano, and Ciccone

Date Introduced:
January 09, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Commerce
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Findings.
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The general assembly finds and declares that ensuring transparency in the electric and gas
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billing process is a matter of critical public importance. Consumers have a right to clearly
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understand the components of their utility bills including, but not limited to, supply charges,
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delivery charges, and any public policy costs related to renewable energy and public benefits
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programs. To further these goals, it is imperative that utility companies provide detailed
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breakdowns of these charges in an easily understandable manner on each bill.
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SECTION 2. Title 39 of the General Laws entitled "PUBLIC UTILITIES AND
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CARRIERS" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
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CHAPTER 36
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TRANSPARENCY IN ELECTRIC AND GAS BILLS ACT
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39-36-1. Short title.

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This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Transparency in Electric and Gas
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Bills Act".
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39-36-2. Definitions.

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For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and terms have the following
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meanings:
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(1) "Delivery charges" means the cost associated with the transmission and distribution of

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electricity or gas to the customer’s premises.
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(2) "Public policy costs" means costs mandated by federal, state, or local policy to support
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renewable energy mandates, energy efficiency programs, and public benefits programs.
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(3) "Renewable energy sources" means energy generation from wind, solar, hydro,
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geothermal, or any other sources deemed renewable by the public utilities commission (“PUC”).
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(4) "Supply charges" means the cost of generating or procuring electricity or gas for the
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customer.
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39-36-3. Utility bill breakdown requirements.

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(a) Beginning on July 1, 2027, all electric and gas utilities operating in the state shall
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include, on each bill issued to a residential or commercial customer, a clear and itemized breakdown
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of all charges. This breakdown shall include the following:
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(1) Supply charges. A clear itemization of the charges for electricity and gas supply,
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including a separate line item indicating the portion of the supply charge attributable to each
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renewable energy source, broken down by wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, and any other renewable
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sources, utilized by the utility to meet the customer’s needs.
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(2) Delivery charges. A separate line item indicating the charges for the delivery of
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electricity or gas to the customer’s premises.
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(3) Public policy costs. A separate line item indicating all public policy costs associated
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with the customer’s bill. This line item shall include, but not be limited to, costs for renewable
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energy credits (hereinafter referred to in this chapter as “RECs”), energy efficiency programs, and
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other programs related to state or federal renewable energy mandates.
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(4) Breakdown of renewable energy mandates. A further itemization within the supply
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charges to indicate the costs associated with specific renewable energy mandates. Each renewable
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energy mandate should be individually identified with an associated cost breakdown including, but
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not limited to:
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(i) Wind energy mandates;
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(ii) Solar energy mandates;
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(iii) Hydro energy mandates;
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(iv) Geothermal energy mandates; or
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(v) Any other renewable energy mandates.
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(b) The bill shall provide an explanation of how the customer’s costs for each renewable
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energy source are determined, including the methodology used to allocate these costs and the
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percentage of the customer’s supply charge attributed to each renewable energy source.
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(c) The utility shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that this breakdown is presented in a

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user-friendly format that is easily readable and comprehensible to a typical residential or
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commercial customer.
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39-36-4. Public comment and review.

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(a) Beginning on January 1, 2028, each utility shall submit to the public utilities
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commission (“PUC”) a proposed plan for the implementation of the bill breakdown requirements
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outlined in this chapter. The plan shall include sample bills and any technology or processes
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required to ensure compliance with this section.
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(b) The PUC shall hold a public comment period on the proposed bill breakdown plans for
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a period of no less than sixty (60) days, during which time stakeholders, including residential and
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commercial customers, consumer advocacy organizations, and other interested parties, may
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provide feedback on the proposed plans.
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(c) The PUC shall consider all comments and make any necessary revisions to the proposed
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plans before approving the final implementation standards for the bill breakdown requirements.
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39-36-5. Enforcement and compliance.

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(a) Utilities shall be required to implement the finalized billing breakdown plans no later
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than one year after the PUC approval of the final plan.
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(b) The PUC shall have the authority to enforce compliance with the provisions of this
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chapter. Any utility found in violation of these requirements shall be subject to penalties as
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determined by the PUC including, but not limited to, fines or remedial actions to ensure
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compliance.
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39-36-6. Public outreach and education.

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(a) The PUC shall conduct a public outreach and education campaign to ensure that
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residential and commercial customers are aware of the changes to the billing system and can
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understand the new bill breakdown. The outreach program may include, but is not limited to, public
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service announcements, educational materials, and online resources.
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(b) The PUC shall provide utilities with guidance and resources on best practices for
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explaining the new breakdown of charges to customers, particularly focusing on the renewable
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energy mandate breakdown.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- TRANSPARENCY IN ELECTRIC
AND GAS BILLS ACT
***
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This act would require electric and gas utilities to provide a detailed breakdown of supply,
2
delivery, and public policy costs on electric and gas bills, including specific costs for renewable
3
energy sources, and mandate public comment and PUC approval.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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