Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

66 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 501 (2026)

General powers.

✓ current as of May 2026

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SUBPART B

COMMISSION POWERS, DUTIES, PRACTICES

AND PROCEDURES

Chapter

5. Powers and Duties

7. Procedure on Complaints

9. Judicial Proceedings

CHAPTER 5

POWERS AND DUTIES

Sec.

501. General powers.

502. Enforcement proceedings by commission.

503. Enforcement proceedings by Chief Counsel.

504. Reports by public utilities.

505. Duty to furnish information to commission; cooperation in valuing property.

506. Inspection of facilities and records.

507. Contracts between public utilities and municipalities.

508. Power of the commission to vary, reform and revise contracts.

509. Regulation of manufacture, sale or lease of appliances.

510. Assessment for regulatory expenses upon public utilities.

511. Disposition, appropriation and disbursement of assessments and fees.

511.1. Use of Federal funds under energy program.

512. Power of commission to require insurance.

512.1. Power of commission to confiscate, impound and sell vehicles.

513. Public letting of contracts.

514. Use of coal.

515. Construction cost of electric generating units.

516. Audits of certain utilities.

517. Conversion of electric generating units fueled by oil or natural gas.

518. Construction of electric generating units fueled by nuclear energy.

519. Construction of electric generating units fueled by oil or natural gas.

520. Power of commission to order cancellation or modification of construction of electric generating units.

521. Retirement of electric generating units.

522. Expense reduction program.

523. Performance factor consideration.

524. Data to be supplied by electric utilities.

525. Sale of generating units and power.

526. Rejection of rate increase requests due to inadequate quality or quantity of service.

527. Cogeneration rules and regulations.

528. Use of foreign coal by qualifying facilities.

529. Power of commission to order acquisition of small water and sewer utilities.

530. Clean Air Act implementation plans.

Enactment. Chapter 5 was added July 1, 1978, P.L.598, No.116, effective in 60 days.

Cross References. Chapter 5 is referred to in section 2603 of this title.

§ 501. General powers.

(a) Enforcement of provisions of part.--In addition to any powers expressly enumerated in this part, the commission shall have full power and authority, and it shall be its duty to enforce, execute and carry out, by its regulations, orders, or otherwise, all and singular, the provisions of this part, and the full intent thereof; and shall have the power to rescind or modify any such regulations or orders. The express enumeration of the powers of the commission in this part shall not exclude any power which the commission would otherwise have under any of the provisions of this part.

(b) Administrative authority and regulations.--The commission shall have general administrative power and authority to supervise and regulate all public utilities doing business within this Commonwealth. The commission may make such regulations, not inconsistent with law, as may be necessary or proper in the exercise of its powers or for the performance of its duties.

(c) Compliance.--Every public utility, its officers, agents, and employees, and every other person or corporation subject to the provisions of this part, affected by or subject to any regulations or orders of the commission or of any court, made, issued, or entered under the provisions of this part, shall observe, obey, and comply with such regulations or orders, and the terms and conditions thereof.

Cross References. Section 501 is referred to in sections 2212, 2806, 3209 of this title.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 73 cases (11 in the last 5 years), 1978–2026 · leading case: Slippery Rock Area Sch. Dist. v. Unemployment Comp. Bd. of Review, 983 A.2d 1231 (Pa. 2009).

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Slippery Rock Area Sch. Dist. v. Unemployment Comp. Bd. of Review, 983 A.2d 1231 (Pa. 2009). · cites it 4× “” 66 Pa.C.S. § 501(a). This grant of regulatory authority was “in addition to any powers expressly enumerated”- — such as, for example, in Section 1504.”

Duquesne Light Co. v. Barasch, 488 U.S. 299 (1989). · cites it 2× “Kleppinger filed a brief for Industrial Energy Consumers of Pennsylvania et al.”

Mercury Trucking, Inc. v. Pennsylvania Pub. Util. Comm'n, 55 A.3d 1056 (Pa. 2012). · cites it 2× “See 66 Pa.C.S. § 501 et seq. Any interpretation of this clause as an oblique reference to the Administrative Agency Law is simply unreasonable.”

Popowsky v. Pennsylvania Pub. Util. Comm'n, 910 A.2d 38 (Pa. 2006). · cites it 2× “If anyone else requests an extension, the utility is not required to contribute to the costs of constructing the lines because there is no public need for service.”

Energy Conservation Council v. Pub. Util. Comm'n, 995 A.2d 465 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2010). · cites it 2× “" Chapter 57 of the Commission's regulations, entitled "Electric Service," was promulgated under Section 501 of the Public Utilities Code, 66 Pa.C.S. § 501. Subchapter G of Chapter 57, "Commission Review of Siting and Construction of Electric Transmission Lines," establishes the…”

Schuylkill Energy Resources, Inc. v. Pennsylvania Power & Light Co., 113 F.3d 405 (3rd Cir. 1997). “SER's assertion that PP & L’s curtailments allow it to “unfairly and illegally skew the evidence, concerning the extent to which its capital equipment is utilized that it presents the PUC in support of rate requests, thereby misleading the PUC in its rate determinations,”…”

Norfolk S. Ry. Co. v. Pennsylvania Pub. Util. Comm'n, 875 A.2d 1243 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2005). · cites it 6× “§ 2702 and, thus, cannot enforce the 1930 Order pursuant to 66 Pa.C.S. §§ 501 and 701. Norfolk contends that the PUC's assertion of jurisdiction in this matter is directly contrary to County of Bucks v.”

Sunrise Energy, LLC v. FirstEnergy Corp. & West Penn Power Co., 148 A.3d 894 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2016). “§§ 101-3316,] the:PUC is vested with supervisory and regulatory power over all public utilities doing business in the Commonwealth, 66 Pa. C.S. § 501(b). While [the trial court] acknowl■edges that “initial jurisdiction over matters involving the reasonableness, adequacy or…”

Popowsky v. Pennsylvania Pub. Util. Comm'n, 853 A.2d 1097 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2004). · cites it 2× “Section 501 of the Public Utility Code, 66 Pa.C.S. § 501; Rohrbaugh ; Pennsylvania Electric Co.”

Susquehanna Area Reg'l Airport Auth. v. Pennsylvania Pub. Util. Comm'n, 911 A.2d 612 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2006). · cites it 2× “66 Pa.C.S. § 501(c). Accordingly, the PUC may or *623 der American Taxi, pursuant to 66 Pa.”

Coalition for Affordable Util. Servs. & Energy Efficiency v. Pennsylvania Pub. Util. Comm'n, 120 A.3d 1087 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2015). “Although Section 501(b) of the Code, 66 Pa.C.S. § 501(b), provides the PUC with the “general administrative power and authority to supervise and regulate all public utilities doing business within this Commonwealth” and Section 1301 of the Code authorizes the PUC to regulate the…”

Harrisburg Taxicab & Baggage Co. v. Pennsylvania Pub. Util. Comm'n, 786 A.2d 288 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2001). · cites it 3× “Section 501 of the Public Utility Code, 66 Pa.C.S. § 501, expressly grants the PUC full power and authority to enforce the Public Utility Code, grants the PUC general administrative authority to supervise public utilities doing business in the Commonwealth and authorizes the PUC…”

Show all 73 citing cases →

— 66 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 501(a) — 13 cases

Mercury Trucking, Inc. v. Pennsylvania Pub. Util. Comm'n, 55 A.3d 1056 (Pa. 2012). “See 66 Pa.C.S. § 501 et seq. Any interpretation of this clause as an oblique reference to the Administrative Agency Law is simply unreasonable.”

Slippery Rock Area Sch. Dist. v. Unemployment Comp. Bd. of Review, 983 A.2d 1231 (Pa. 2009). “” 66 Pa.C.S. § 501(a). This grant of regulatory authority was “in addition to any powers expressly enumerated”- — such as, for example, in Section 1504.”

Yeager's Fuel, Inc. v. Pennsylvania Power & Light Co., 804 F. Supp. 700 (E.D. Pa. 1992).

Norfolk S. Ry. Co. v. Pennsylvania Pub. Util. Comm'n, 875 A.2d 1243 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2005). “§ 2702 and, thus, cannot enforce the 1930 Order pursuant to 66 Pa.C.S. §§ 501 and 701. Norfolk contends that the PUC's assertion of jurisdiction in this matter is directly contrary to County of Bucks v.”

West Penn Power Co. v. Pennsylvania Pub. Util. Comm'n, 578 A.2d 75 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1990).

— 66 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 501(b) — 16 cases

Harrisburg Taxicab & Baggage Co. v. Pennsylvania Pub. Util. Comm'n, 786 A.2d 288 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2001). “Section 501 of the Public Utility Code, 66 Pa.C.S. § 501, expressly grants the PUC full power and authority to enforce the Public Utility Code, grants the PUC general administrative authority to supervise public utilities doing business in the Commonwealth and authorizes the PUC…”

Pennsylvania Power Co. v. Twp. of Pine, 926 A.2d 1241 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2007).

— 66 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 501(c) — 2 cases

Susquehanna Area Reg'l Airport Auth. v. Pennsylvania Pub. Util. Comm'n, 911 A.2d 612 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2006). “66 Pa.C.S. § 501(c). Accordingly, the PUC may or *623 der American Taxi, pursuant to 66 Pa.”

United Tel. Co. v. Pennsylvania Pub. Util. Comm'n, 676 A.2d 1244 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1996).

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