Requires electric and gas utilities to provide a detailed breakdown of supply, delivery, and public policy costs on electric and gas bills, including specific costs for renewable energy sources, and mandate public comment and PUC approval.

Plain-English Summary: RI Transparency in Electric and Gas Bills Act

This bill would require electric and gas utility companies in Rhode Island to provide customers with a much more detailed breakdown of their monthly bills. Instead of seeing just a single total charge or a few broad categories, customers would be able to see exactly what they are paying for — including separate line items for the cost of supplying energy, the cost of delivering it through pipes and power lines, and costs related to public policy programs. The bill also specifically requires utilities to show how much customers are paying toward renewable energy sources.

The bill also adds an oversight requirement: before utilities can change how these costs are presented or structured on bills, they must go through a public comment process and receive approval from the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (PUC), which is the state agency that regulates utility companies. This means ordinary Rhode Islanders would have an opportunity to weigh in before any significant billing changes take effect.

This bill directly affects anyone in Rhode Island who pays an electric or gas bill — essentially most households and businesses in the state. The goal is to give consumers clearer information about where their money is going each month. Utility companies would need to update their billing systems and practices to comply with the new requirements if the bill becomes law.

The bill has been referred to the Senate Commerce Committee and is scheduled for a hearing in April 2026, meaning it is still in the early stages of the legislative process.