1. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 704.075, 704.68861 to 704.68887, inclusive, and 704.7865, or as may otherwise be provided by the Commission pursuant to NRS 704.095, 704.097 or 704.7621:

(a) A public utility shall not make changes in any schedule, unless the public utility:

(1) Files with the Commission an application to make the proposed changes and the Commission approves the proposed changes pursuant to NRS 704.110; or

(2) Files the proposed changes with the Commission using a letter of advice in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (f) or (g).

(b) A public utility shall adjust its rates on a quarterly basis between annual rate adjustment applications pursuant to subsection 8 of NRS 704.110 based on changes in the public utility’s recorded costs of natural gas purchased for resale.

(c) An electric utility shall, between annual deferred energy accounting adjustment applications filed pursuant to NRS 704.187, adjust its rates on a quarterly basis pursuant to subsection 10 of NRS 704.110.

(d) A public utility shall post copies of all proposed schedules and all new or amended schedules in the same offices and in substantially the same form, manner and places as required by NRS 704.070 for the posting of copies of schedules that are currently in force.

(e) A public utility may not set forth as justification for a rate increase any items of expense or rate base that previously have been considered and disallowed by the Commission, unless those items are clearly identified in the application and new facts or considerations of policy for each item are advanced in the application to justify a reversal of the prior decision of the Commission.

(f) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (g), if the proposed change in any schedule does not change any rate or will result in an increase in annual gross operating revenue in an amount that does not exceed $15,000:

(1) The public utility may file the proposed change with the Commission using a letter of advice in lieu of filing an application; and

(2) The Commission shall determine whether it should dispense with a hearing regarding the proposed change.

A letter of advice filed pursuant to this paragraph must include a certification by the attorney for the public utility or an affidavit by an authorized representative of the public utility that to the best of the signatory’s knowledge, information and belief, formed after a reasonable inquiry, the proposed change in schedule does not change any rate or result in an increase in the annual gross operating revenue of the public utility in an amount that exceeds $15,000.

(g) If the applicant is a small-scale provider of last resort and the proposed change in any schedule will result in an increase in annual gross operating revenue in an amount that does not exceed $50,000 or 10 percent of the applicant’s annual gross operating revenue, whichever is less:

(1) The small-scale provider of last resort may file the proposed change with the Commission using a letter of advice in lieu of filing an application if the small-scale provider of last resort:

(I) Includes with the letter of advice a certification by the attorney for the small-scale provider of last resort or an affidavit by an authorized representative of the small-scale provider of last resort that to the best of the signatory’s knowledge, information and belief, formed after a reasonable inquiry, the proposed change in schedule does not change any rate or result in an increase in the annual gross operating revenue of the small-scale provider of last resort in an amount that exceeds $50,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less;

(II) Demonstrates that the proposed change in schedule is required by or directly related to a regulation or order of the Federal Communications Commission; and

(III) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, files the letter of advice not later than 5 years after the Commission has issued a final order on a general rate application filed by the applicant in accordance with subsection 3 of NRS 704.110; and

(2) The Commission shall determine whether it should dispense with a hearing regarding the proposed change.

Not later than 10 business days after the filing of a letter of advice pursuant to subparagraph (1), the Regulatory Operations Staff of the Commission or any other interested party may file with the Commission a request that the Commission order an applicant to file a general rate application in accordance with subsection 3 of NRS 704.110. The Commission may hold a hearing to consider such a request.

(h) In making the determination pursuant to paragraph (f) or (g), the Commission shall first consider all timely written protests, any presentation that the Regulatory Operations Staff of the Commission may desire to present, the application of the public utility and any other matters deemed relevant by the Commission.

2. An applicant that is a small-scale provider of last resort may submit to the Commission a written request for a waiver of the 5-year period specified in sub-subparagraph (III) of subparagraph (1) of paragraph (g) of subsection 1. The Commission shall, not later than 90 days after receipt of such a request, issue an order approving or denying the request. The Commission may approve the request if the applicant provides proof satisfactory to the Commission that the applicant is not earning more than the rate of return authorized by the Commission and that it is in the public interest for the Commission to grant the request for a waiver. The Commission shall not approve a request for a waiver if the request is submitted later than 7 years after the issuance by the Commission of a final order on a general rate application filed by the applicant in accordance with subsection 3 of NRS 704.110. If the Commission approves a request for a waiver submitted pursuant to this subsection, the applicant shall file the letter of advice pursuant to subparagraph (1) of paragraph (g) of subsection 1 not earlier than 120 days after the date on which the applicant submitted the request for a waiver pursuant to this subsection, unless the order issued by the Commission approving the request for a waiver specifies a different period for the filing of the letter of advice.

3. As used in this section, “electric utility” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 704.187.

[14:109:1919; A 1933, 228; 1931 NCL § 6113] — (NRS A 1971, 1117; 1975, 1450; 1979, 1718; 1985, 636, 1126; 1987, 653, 1694; 1989, 1834; 2001, 3246; 2003, 3038; 2005, 1919; 2007, 696, 2978; 2011, 385; 2013, 197; 2015, 280; 2019, 1191, 2314)