(a) Authority to intervene and participate

In order to initiate and participate in the consideration of one or more of the standards established by subchapter II of this chapter or other concepts which contribute to the achievement of the purposes of this chapter, the Secretary, any affected electric utility, or any electric consumer of an affected electric utility may intervene and participate as a matter of right in any ratemaking proceeding or other appropriate regulatory proceeding relating to rates or rate design which is conducted by a State regulatory authority (with respect to an electric utility for which it has ratemaking authority) or by a nonregulated electric utility.

(b) Access to information

Any intervenor or participant in a proceeding described in subsection (a) of this section shall have access to information available to other parties to the proceeding if such information is relevant to the issues to which his intervention or participation in such proceeding relates. Such information may be obtained through reasonable rules relating to discovery of information prescribed by the State regulatory authority (in the case of proceedings concerning electric utilities for which it has ratemaking authority) or by the nonregulated electric utility (in the case of a proceeding conducted by a nonregulated electric utility).

Any intervention or participation under this section, in any proceeding commenced before November 9, 1978, but not completed before such date, shall be permitted under this section only to the extent such intervention or participation is timely under otherwise applicable law.