Department of Civil Service

Description:

Projects: The Department of Public Service, Office of Consumer Services (OCS) is seeking a part time or full-time summer intern. OCS is comprised of two separate sections that: (1) provide direct assistance to residential and non-residential consumers in resolving disputes with utilities and (2) developing and enforcing consumer policy subject to Public Service Commission jurisdiction.
I. Informal Hearing Unit
As part of the day-to-day operations of OCS, the Informal Hearings Unit is responsible for reviewing, adjudicating, and resolving consumer complaints about utility service. The Informal Hearings Unit's work is highly technical, detail oriented and follows statutory, regulatory, and case law precedent. Due to the complex nature of these cases, this work requires a high level of writing and analytical skills which is best suited for a law student or recent law school graduate. The Informal Hearing Unit staff includes attorneys and would be significantly strengthened with the addition of an intern, who would receive exposure to a wide array of public utility law and practices, and would also be able to observe adjudications, as well as the normal operation of the Commission and Department of Public Service.
II. Shared Meter Unit
As part of the day-to-day operations of OCS, the Shared Meter Unit is responsible for reviewing, adjudicating, and resolving consumer complaints about "shared meter" situations (see, Public Service Law section 52 of Article 2). The Shared Meter Unit's work is highly technical, detail oriented and follows statutory, regulatory, and case law precedent, and may involve math-oriented analysis. Due to the complex nature of these cases, this work requires a high level of writing and analytical skills which is best suited for a law student or recent law school graduate. The Shared Meter Unit is currently supervised by a highly experienced expert and would be significantly strengthened with the addition of an intern, who would receive exposure to a wide array of public utility law, regulations and practices, and would also be able to work closely with the Commission's Designee, the Acting Deputy Director of Consumer Assistance and the Consumer Advocacy Counsel (all three of whom are attorneys), as well as observe and take part in the normal operation of the Commission and Department of Public Service.
III. Consumer Advocacy
The Consumer Advocacy Section is the policy side of the operation. OCS Staff advocates for utility customers on a wide variety of issues directly impacting customers in energy and water utility rate cases and mergers, generic policy cases, Energy Service Company (ESCO) and Distributed Energy Resource (DER) oversight, Energy Broker and Marketer oversight, and a wide variety of other proceedings. The Consumer Advocacy section is responsible for rate case testimony, implementing the Commission's Energy Affordability Policy (EAP), enforcement, oversight in the ESCO, DER and Energy Broker/Marketer marketplace, utility metering practices and sub metering policy and petitions. This unit would be significantly strengthened with the addition of an intern, who would receive exposure to a wide array of public utility law and practices and would also be able to observe the day to day operation of the Commission and Department of Public Service.

Skills:

High Level of Writing Skills

Strong Analytical Skills

Internship Areas: Legal Specialties