Coalition of Cities for Affordable Utility Rates v. Public Utility Commission of Texas

OPINION

DOGGETT, Justice.

In this appeal certain consumers of a public utility urge that it be denied a second opportunity to prove the same facts as justification for an electric rate increase. We agree that the public utility regulatory scheme set forth by the legislature provides that once is enough. The doctrines of res judicata and collateral estoppel bar such relitigation before the Public Utility Commission (“PUC”).

Gulf States Utilities Company (“GSU”) sought a rate increase which required the PUC to determine whether the $4.5 billion that GSU spent for completion of the River Bend…