Title 37, Title 37 — Public Utilities

Proceeds of sale. The proceeds of the sale of any property for nonpayment of special assessments shall be applied in the discharge of the assessments, the interest, costs and penalties thereon. If there are outstanding any special improvement bonds issued pursuant to the improvem…

Property bid in by city, town or county to be held in trust; trust discharged by payment of assessment. When any property is bid in by or stricken off to any city, town or county the property shall be held in trust by the city, town or county for the fund of the improvement distr…

Sale of property held in trust; notice. (a) After the period of redemption has expired and a deed has been issued to a city, town or county, it may sell the property at public auction to the highest bidder for cash. No bid may be accepted for less than the amount set forth in the…

Advance payment of assessment installations. The governing body, in the resolution levying the assessments, may provide that all unpaid installment assessments levied against any property may be paid, but only in their entirety, prior to the dates on which they become due if the …

Issuance of bonds. After the expiration of thirty (30) days from the date of the adoption of the resolution levying the assessments, the governing body may issue negotiable interest-bearing bonds in a principal amount not exceeding the unpaid balance of the assessments levied. Th…

Errors or irregularities not to void assessment; civil action to adjudicate grievance; action to test validity of resolution authorizing bond issue. No special assessment shall be declared void or set aside in consequence of any error or irregularity permitted or appearing in any…

Conversion costs. (a) In determining the conversion costs included in the costs and feasibility report, the public utility shall be entitled to amounts sufficient to repay the following, as computed and reflected by the uniform system of accounts approved by the Wyoming public se…

Construction of and title to converted facilities. The public utility concerned is responsible for all construction work involving its facilities and may contract out such of this construction work as it deems desirable. There shall be no competitive bidding as to the constructio…

Conversion costs and service connections. (a) The public utility performing the conversion shall, at the expense of the property owner, convert to underground all electric and communication service facilities located upon any lot or parcel of land within the improvement district …

Notice of disconnection. If the owner of any lot or parcel of land fails to make necessary changes in the service entrance equipment or fails to provide the trench in a timely manner, at the time the converted facilities are ready for connection to his property, the electric or c…

Payment of public utility. Upon completion of the conversion the public utility corporation shall present the governing body with its verified bill for conversion costs as computed pursuant to W.S. 37-13-129 or 37-13-131 of the statutes, but based upon the actual cost of construc…

Reinstallation of overhead facilities not permitted. Once removed, no overhead electric or communication facilities shall be installed in a local improvement district for conversion of overhead electric and communication facilities.

No limitation of public service commission's jurisdiction. Nothing contained in this chapter shall vest any jurisdiction over public utilities in the governing bodies. The public service commission of Wyoming shall retain all jurisdiction now or hereafter conferred upon it by law…

Nonseverability. If any provision of this chapter is held invalid, such invalidity shall invalidate this chapter in its entirety, and to this end the provisions of this chapter are declared to be nonseverable.

Commencement of conversion. If an improvement district is established pursuant to this chapter, the public utility corporations involved shall not be required to commence conversion until the ordinance, the assessment roll and issuance of bonds have become final and no civil acti…

Emergency response fee. (a) In addition to any other fees and taxes provided by law, an emergency response fee of four hundred fifty dollars ($450.00) shall apply to each package of radioactive materials transported through this state. The department of transportation shall colle…

Short title; sunset. (a) This chapter shall be known as the "Wyoming Telecommunications Act." (b) This chapter is repealed effective July 1, 2031.

Definitions. (a) As used in this chapter: (i) "Affiliated telecommunications companies" means telecommunications companies: (A) In which five percent (5%) or more of the voting stock is controlled or owned, directly or indirectly, by a common principal; or (B) Whose management an…

Services regulated by this title. (a) Except to the extent otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of this title shall only apply to noncompetitive essential telecommunications services. All telecommunications services shall be subject to contributions to the universal…

VoIP and internet protocol enabled services. (a) As used in this section: (i) "Internet protocol enabled service" or "IP enabled service" means any service, capability, functionality or application, other than "voice over internet protocol service," (VoIP) using existing internet…

Regulation of local exchange services; certificates of public convenience and necessity; concurrent certificates. (a) Except for those telecommunications companies that as of July 1, 2015, have a valid certificate of public convenience and necessity previously issued by the commi…

Determination of competitive services. (a) Upon petition by any telecommunications company or pursuant to the commission's own motion, the commission may, after notice and opportunity for hearing, find and conclude that a telecommunications service is subject to competition or th…

Price regulation of noncompetitive essential services. (a) Prices for telecommunications services which have been determined by the legislature or the commission to be noncompetitive essential telecommunications services shall be regulated by the commission in accordance with thi…

Price schedules. (a) A local exchange company shall post on its website and file in electronic format to the commission price schedules showing all noncompetitive essential telecommunications services terms, conditions and prices currently in effect and charged to customers by th…

Regulation of interexchange companies. (a) An interexchange company not authorized to provide intrastate telecommunications service in this state on or before January 1, 1995, shall not provide intrastate interexchange telecommunications services unless it first registers with th…

Commission powers. (a) In addition to the powers exercised pursuant to the provisions of W.S. 37-15-408, the commission has the power to: (i) Investigate the methods and practices of any telecommunications company; (ii) Require any telecommunications company to conform to the law…

Protection of telecommunications consumers. (a) No telecommunications company shall unreasonably discriminate as to customers in prices, terms or conditions of service, or in connection to or with other telecommunications companies. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to p…

Complaint against prices. Any person, and the commission on its own motion, may complain to the commission concerning the reasonableness of the price of any noncompetitive essential telecommunications service or any violation of W.S. 37-15-404. Any notice and hearing of any compl…

Quality of service. (a) Repealed By Laws 2007, Ch. 142, § 2. (b) Any customer, and the commission on its own motion, may complain concerning the quality of service provided by a telecommunications company for noncompetitive essential telecommunications service. A complaint shall …

Annual report. (a) The commission shall with the input and participation of the telecommunications industry and other relevant state departments, boards and agencies prepare and issue an annual report on the status of the telecommunications industry. The report shall be based on …

Applicability of existing law. W.S. 37-2-102, 37-2-104, 37-2-106 through 37-2-109, 37-2-113, 37-2-115 through 37-2-118, 37-2-124, 37-2-125, 37-2-130, 37-2-203, 37-2-205(a), 37-2-209, 37-2-214 through 37-2-216, 37-2-218, 37-3-114, 37-4-101 through 37-4-104, 37-12-120 through 37-12…

Construction with other laws. If the provisions of this chapter conflict with any other statutes, the provisions of this chapter shall control.

Unauthorized change of telecommunications company; unauthorized services; prohibited practices; penalties. (a) No person shall engage in any practice which has the effect of changing any Wyoming consumer's telecommunications company if the change is willfully made without the kno…

Limitation on authority of political subdivision to enter exclusive agreement for provision of telecommunications service or broadband internet access service. (a) Except as provided in subsections (b) through (d) of this section, before the governing body of any city or town or …

Universal service fund created; contributions; administration. (a) There is hereby established the universal service fund to be administered in accordance with this section. The fund shall be administered by the commission. All telecommunications companies shall contribute to the…

Universal service fund eligibility and distribution to carriers. (a) Telecommunications companies which use cellular, radio spectrum or other wireless technology to provide essential services to customers who are otherwise eligible to receive universal service support pursuant to…

Definitions. (a) As used in this chapter unless the context or a specific article otherwise requires: (i) "Commission" means public service commission of Wyoming; (ii) "Customer-generator" means a user of a net metering system; (iii) "Electrical company" means any person, corpora…

Electric utility requirements. (a) An electric utility: (i) Shall offer to make available to each of its eligible customer-generators that has installed a net metering system an energy meter that is capable of registering the flow of electricity in two (2) directions; (ii) May, a…

Calculation requirements. (a) Consistent with other provisions of this chapter, the net energy measurement shall be calculated in the following manner: (i) The electric utility shall measure the net electricity produced or consumed during the billing period, in accordance with no…

Safety and performance requirements. (a) A net metering system used by a customer-generator shall meet all applicable safety and performance standards established by the national electrical code, the institute of electrical and electronics engineers and underwriters laboratories.…

Definitions. (a) As used in this article: (i) "Electric utility" means any electrical company or electric cooperative that is engaged in the business of distributing electricity to retail electric customers in the state; (ii) "Lighting apparatus" means any shield, cover or other …

Tariffs for outdoor lighting. All electric utilities shall offer tariffs for utility provided outdoor lighting that provide an option for all electric customers to choose lighting apparatus designed to minimize light illuminating unintended areas and maintain dark skies. Rates fo…

Definitions. (a) As used in this article: (i) "Cooperative electric utility" means any nonprofit, member-owned cooperative engaged in the business of distributing energy, including any energy related commodity currently approved under rules and regulations of the public service c…

Retail rate regulation; exemption. (a) Any cooperative electric utility exempt from public service commission retail rate regulation shall remain subject to this article, all other provisions of Wyoming public utility law and the authority of the commission. (b) Nothing in this a…

Procedures for exemption; exclusion from exemption provisions. (a) The board of directors of any cooperative electric utility may adopt a resolution for exemption from public service commission retail rate regulation and submit the resolution to the member owners for a vote. (b) …

Adjustment of retail rates; complaint; investigation; resolution. (a) A cooperative electric utility exempted under W.S. 37-17-103 shall give written notice to all member owners, at least thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of any retail rate increase, including procedur…