Utilities and Industries

Utilities and Industries
The CPUC regulates privately owned electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water, and transportation companies. The CPUC also regulates the safety of both publicly and privately owned railroad and rail transit companies/agencies, and rail crossings. The CPUC serves the public interest by protecting consumers and ensuring the provision of safe, reliable utility service and infrastructure at reasonable rates, with a commitment to environmental enhancement and a healthy California economy.
CPUC Regulates and Registers these Services to Protect the Public
Energy
The CPUC regulates investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities operating in California.
Communications
The CPUC develops and implements policies for the telecommunications industry
Rail
The CPUC is the state agency that oversees rail safety; this includes freight, inter-city and commuter railroads, rail transit and rail crossings.

Passenger
The CPUC also administers safety oversight and enforcement of passenger carriers (limousines, shuttles, etc.).
Water
The CPUC investigates water and sewer system service quality issues, analyzes, and processes utility rate change requests.

Energy
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regulates investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities operating in California. Through its oversight over utilities, the CPUC has played a key role in making California a national and international leader on a number of energy-related initiatives designed to benefit consumers, the environment, and the economy.
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Communications
The Communications Division is responsible for licensing, registration and the processing tariffs of local exchange carriers, competitive local carriers, and non-dominant interexchange carriers. It is also responsible for registration of wireless service providers and franchising of video service providers.
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Rail Safety
The CPUC is the state agency that oversees rail safety in California. This oversight can be broken down into three areas: 1) Railroad Safety; 2) Rail Transit Safety; and 3) Rail Crossing Safety.
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Railroad Safety
The CPUC employs federally certified inspectors to ensure that railroads comply with both federal and state railroad safety regulations.
Rail Transit Safety
The CPUC has safety and security regulatory authority over all rail transit agencies in California.
Rail Crossing Safety
The CPUC is the state agency with exclusive jurisdiction over rail crossings in California.
Passenger Carriers
Passenger Carriers
Passenger carriers (limousines, airport shuttles, charter and scheduled bus operators, and others) obtain permits or certificates after providing financial responsibility and safety information to the PUC, including evidence of liability insurance and a California Highway Patrol safety inspection.
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Water
Consumer Programs
The CPUC regulates privately-owned water and sewer utilities, and promotes programs that help customers in need and encourages water conservation.
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Drought Information
With California facing one of the most severe droughts on record, the state has called for a 25 percent reduction in overall potable urban water use statewide in accordance with Governor Brown’s April 1, 2015, Executive Order
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