Albany – The Assembly Committee on Energy and Assembly Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection will hold a budget oversight hearing today, February 15, at 10am in Hearing C of the Legislative Office Building. The Committees will examine the impact of the merger of the former Consumer Protection Board's (CPB) Utility Intervention Unit (UIU) into the Department of State (DOS) on electric, gas and steam customers.

As a part of the SFY 2011-2012 Enacted Budget, the former CPB was merged into the DOS in the form of a new Division of Consumer Protection. The Division was granted the powers, functions and duties of the CPB, including the responsibility to represent the interests of New York's electric, gas and steam customers through the UIU. The UIU is charged with intervening on behalf of ratepayers in ratemaking, submetering and rulemaking cases before the Public Service Commission (PSC) and where necessary, representing ratepayers before federal energy agencies and entities authorized by the federal government to operate the state's bulk electric transmission system. This hearing will examine the effectiveness of the UIU since its merger into DOS.

The Committees will hear testimony from the representatives of the Department of State, Public Service Commission, AARP, Consumers Union and NYPIRG.

What: Assembly Public Hearing to review the performance of the Utility Intervention Unit in representing New York's residential and small business ratepayers.

When: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 10:00 a.m.

Where: Roosevelt Hearing Room C, Legislative Office Building, 2nd Floor, Albany, New York 12248