Public utilities: corporate responsibilities.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical, gas, water, and telephone corporations. Existing law authorizes the commission to establish rules for all public utilities, subject to control by the Legislature, authorizes the commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility, and requires that those rates and charges be just and reasonable. Existing law directs the commission to require every electrical, gas, telephone, and water corporation with annual gross revenues exceeding $25,000,000, and their regulated subsidiaries and affiliates, to implement a program developed by the commission to encourage,…