Applicability. This section applies to:

Any proceeding, or any part of a proceeding, while the Commission is the decisional authority; and

Any proceeding, or part of a proceeding, which is set for hearing under subpart E.

General rule. If the decisional authority determines that there is no genuine issue of fact material to the decision of a proceeding or part of a proceeding, the decisional authority may summarily dispose of all or part of the proceeding.

Procedures. (1) Any participant may make a motion for summary disposition of all or part of a proceeding.

If a decisional authority, other than the Commission, is considering summary disposition of a proceeding, or part of a proceeding, in the absence of a motion for summary disposition by a participant, the decisional authority will grant the participants an opportunity to comment on the proposed disposition prior to any summary disposition, unless, for good cause shown, the decisional authority provides otherwise.

If, prior to setting a matter for hearing, the Commission is considering summary disposition of a proceeding or part of a proceeding in the absence of a motion for summary disposition by any participant and the Commission determines that notice and comment on summary disposition are practicable and necessary, the Commission may notify the participants and afford them an opportunity to comment on any proposed summary disposition.

Disposition. (1)(i) If a decisional authority, other than the Commission, summarily disposes of an entire proceeding, the decisional authority will issue an initial decision for the entire proceeding.

Except as provided under paragraph (d)(1)(iii) of this section, a decisional authority, other than the Commission, which summarily disposes of part of a proceeding may:

Issue a partial initial decision; or

Postpone issuing an initial decision on the summarily disposed part and combine it with the initial decision on the entire proceeding or other appropriate part of the proceeding.

If the decisional authority, other than the Commission, summarily disposes of part of a proceeding and such disposition requires the filing of new tariff or rate schedule sheets or sections, the decisional authority will issue an initial decision on that part of the proceeding.

Any initial decision issued under paragraph (d)(1) of this section is considered an initial decision issued under subpart G of this part, except that the following rules do not apply: Rule 704 (rights of participants before initial decision), Rule 705 (discretion of presiding officer before initial decision), Rule 706 (initial and reply briefs before initial decision), Rule 707 (oral argument before initial decision), and Rule 709 (other types of decisions).