Research


Administrative History

The Department of Public Service is the staff arm of the Public Service Commission. The commission was established in 1907 with responsibility for all public utilities, including railroad and other transportation companies. The Department of Public Service was established as the parent body of the commission through the 1926 reorganization of state government. The agency's central most visible mission is to regulate the rates and services of New York's public utilities to ensure safe, adequate services for the public at reasonable rates and with the least adverse impact on the environment.

A significant part of the responsibility is met when the utilities file tariff schedules establishing the rates, charges, rules and regulations for their services. Once tariffs have been established, utilities amend them to show revisions in their rates, services, etc., by filing new leaves (pages) to supersede current tariff leaves. Eventually, after a schedule has been extensively amended over time, the utility will file a new schedule which entirely supersedes the previous version. Cancelled schedules are retained by the department to document the evolution of utility rates over time.