04 NCAC 11 R06-91. UTILITIES COMMISSION

R6-91     APPROVAL OF PROJECTS AND USE OF NATURAL GAS BOND FUNDS

(a)  Eligible recipients applying for bond funds pursuant to Commission Rule R6-90 shall publish a notice of the application at the direction of and in a form approved by the Commission.

(b)  The Commission shall consider the following in determining whether to approve the use of bond funds:  the scope of the proposed project, including the number of unserved counties and the number of anticipated customers by class that would be served; the total cost of the proposed project; the extent to which the proposed project is feasible; and other relevant factors affecting the public interest.

(c)  The Commission shall enter an order approving or denying the use of natural gas bond funds on a project-specific basis.  Natural gas bond funds shall be used only pursuant to an order of the Commission after a public hearing.  Such an order shall specifically find the negative NPV of the approved project and shall limit the bond funding pursuant to G.S. 62-159 to that negative NPV.

(d)  As soon as practicable after an order approving funding of a project becomes final, the Commission shall notify the State Treasurer of such approval and the amount of bond funding that has been approved.

(e)  If construction has not begun on a project for which bond funding has been approved within one year after the date on which the order granting approval became final, the Commission shall require the recipient to show cause why the approval should not be rescinded; why its franchise should not be revoked, if appropriate; and why it should not be required to reimburse bond monies paid to it, if any.

(NCUC Docket No. G-100, Sub 75, 03/08/99.)