The Mississippi Public Service Commission did some annual chores in a specially called meeting Wednesday.
One of those chores was approving the 2022 plans and eligibility of several telecommunications to participate in the Federal Communications Commission’s Connect America fund. This program is designed to ensure that consumers in rural and high cost have access to voice and broadband service (both fixed and mobile) at a rates comparably to those in urban areas. This program allows eligible carriers who serve these areas to recover some of their costs from the Universal Service Fund.
According to FCC regulations, the PSC must approve the annual eligibility of the participating carriers for them to receive federal funds.
The carriers that sought approval Wednesday were:
- AT&T Mississippi.
- Rural Incumbent Carriers of Mississippi.
- Dixie Net Communications.
- Cellular South Licenses, LLC.
- TEC of Jackson, Inc.
- Telepak Networks, Inc.
- New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC.
- AT&T Mobility.
- Viasat Carrier Services, Inc.
- Aristotle Unified Communications.
The three-member elected commission also voted to allow the separate Public Utilities Staff to contract with a consulting firm on regulatory matters.
PUS Executive Director Sally Doty told the commission that her office had several long-term employees retire and had difficulties training new replacements with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. She said there are about 25 filings that the PUS Electric and Gas Division must review before forwarding to the commission.
The commission unanimously approved the PUS providing a contract to Larkin and Associates, a firm that Doty says are experts in the area of utility regulation. According to the order, the consultant will analyze rate filings for Entergy, Mississippi Power, Atmos Energy, CenterPoint Energy and Spire Energy.
Any contract reached by the consultant and the PUS will need to be approved at the January 2022 commission meeting.
The PSC also approved a small rate increase for Mississippi Power as the company can annually pass some of its state tax bill onto ratepayers. Mississippi Power’s tax bill from the state tax assessed on utilities is $1.5 million, about $34,000 more than last year. Residential customers will pay an extra one cent per month.
In another matter, the PSC approved to transfer responsibility for providing sewer services to 200 customers at Back Acres subdivision from New Image Utility Company Inc. to the city of Senatobia.
The commission also approved the request of Spire Mississippi Inc. to expand natural gas service in west Hattiesburg in Lamar County.
