Water utility association sought review of decision of the Mississippi Public Service Commission (MPSC), to adopt regulation requiring utilities to waive utility deposits for certified domestic violence victims for a period of 60 days.
The Chancery Court affirmed. Association appealed.
The Supreme Court of Mississippi held that customer deposits are included in the definition of the term “rate” as used in Public Utilities Act, which prohibits the MPSC from making rules that regulate the rates of nonprofit public utility association members, and thus MPSC was without statutory authority to adopt regulation at issue.