ETS Glossary


Help Table of Contents : Help Frequently Asked Questions

Adobe Acrobat
- Software used to create and read tariff related documents in the Electronic Tariff System.  The Acrobat Reader is needed to view tariffs.  You can get it for free from Adobe's web site

Addenda – A document, which is not part of the general tariff schedule, that provides additional information regarding utility rates, charges, rules and regulation.

Addenda Type – A classification of the variety of addenda

Attachment – A document that may be submitted with a tariff filing and is used  to enhance the information that is submitted in the utility’s letter of transmittal.

Cancelled Status – Used to signify that a tariff leaf, statement, addenda or supplement has been superseded by another version or has been cancelled by Commission directive.

Case Number - Case numbers are assigned by the Public Service Commission to identify tariff filings as well as other documents filed with the Public Service Commission.  A sample format would be "02-E-0001", where the 02 is the year the Case began, the E signifies that the case was for Electric Service, and the 0001 is a sequential number assigned to cases during the year.

Date Submitted – The date a filing has been accepted for review by the Department of Public Service.  

DPS - Department of Public Service

Effective Date - The date a tariff leaf, statement, addenda or supplement is scheduled to become effective or has become effective.

Effective Status - Used to signify that a tariff leaf, statement, addenda or supplement is currently in effect.

ETS - Electronic Tariff System.  A computer system created by the Department of Public Service to accept, store and retrieve electronic versions of utility tariffs.

KB - Kilobytes.  A measure of the size of a computer file.  100 KB will download in about 15 seconds when using a 56 kbps connection and will download in about 6 seconds using a broadband connection.

Leaf – A page within the general tariff schedule containing information on a utility’s rates, charges, rules and regulations.

Leaf Number – A sequential ordering of pages in a tariff schedule.

Letter of Transmittal - A cover letter sent by the company along with a tariff filing to explain the nature of the filing.

PDF file - Portable Document Format.  A computer file that contains a viewable and printable tariff document.  The Acrobat Reader is needed to view tariffs.  You can get it for free from Adobe's web site

Pending Status - Used to signify that a tariff leaf, statement, addenda or supplement is has been accepted for review by the Department of Public Service, but is not yet effective.

PSC - Public Service Commission

PSC Number – An assigned tracking number for a tariff schedule submitted to the Department of Public Service.  A utility may have tariff schedules with the same number for different types of service.  For example, Utility A may have a PSC Number 1 for Electric Service and PSC Number 1 for Gas Service.  Also known as schedule number.

Revision Number - Used to order various versions of a leaf.

Section Number – Used to group various leaves of a tariff schedule.

Service Type – Includes Electric, Gas, Steam, Water and Telecommunication Service which is regulated by the Public Service Commission.

Statement - A document, which is not part of the general tariff schedule, that provides for the automatic adjustment of rates and charges.

Statement Type - A classification of the variety of statements.

Status - There are three possible statuses. The sequence of events is typically as follows. A document is pending; later it becomes effective; eventually it may be cancelled. For further details, refer to Pending Status, Effective Status, and Cancelled Status in this glossary.

Superseding Revision Number – The prior version of a tariff leaf.

Supplement - A document, which is not part of the general tariff schedule, that is used to explain any change in the status or effective date of a leaf, statement, addenda or tariff schedule.

Supplement Type - A classification of the variety of supplements. 

Tariff Schedule - Utilities set out Public Service Commission approved rates, charges, rules and regulations for service in Tariff Schedules. The Public Service Commission  keeps utility tariffs for Electric, Gas, Steam, Water and Telecommunication companies doing business in New York State.