(a) Insofar as practicable, the Commission shall encourage the resolution of matters brought before it through the use of stipulations and settlements.
(b) The Commission’s staff may be an active participant in the resolution of such matters.
(c) The Commission may upon hearing approve the resolution of matters brought before it by stipulations or settlements whether or not such stipulations or settlements are agreed to or approved by all parties where the Commission finds such resolutions to be in the public interest.