FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010
RUCO FILES EXCEPTIONS TO RECOMMENDED OPINION AND ORDER ON ARIZONA WATER COMPANY
On Friday, July 30, 2010, RUCO filed exceptions to the Recommended Opinion and Order ("ROO") on Arizona Water Company's pending rate application for all seventeen of its statewide operating systems. In its exceptions, RUCO took issue with the Administrative Law Judge's recommendations regarding rate consolidation, the removal of contributions-in-aid-of-construction associated with certain plant items which were reclassified as plant held for future use, and the inclusion of the Company's Valley Vista Well in rate base.
Consideration on the matter by the five ACC Commissioners will occur at a yet-to-be-announced Open Meeting.
Click on the "Pending Cases" link to learn more about this and other cases that RUCO is currently involved with.
VOTE ON JOHNSON UTILITIES DELAYED
During the Regular Open Meeting held on Wednesday, July 28, 2010, the five ACC Commissioners agreed to delay a final vote on the pending Johnson Utilities, LLC rate case. The matter will be heard during a yet-to-be-announced Open Meeting.
HEARING CONTINUES ON BELLA VISTA/SUNRISE RATE REQUEST
The evidentiary hearing on Liberty Water's request for increased rates for its Bella Vista, Northern Sunrise and Southern Sunrise water systems began at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 400 West Congress in Tucson. The first two days of the rescheduled hearing were held on July 21 and 22, 2010 in Tucson. The hearing will resume on August 16, 2010 at 1200 W. Washington in Phoenix, and is expected to conclude on August 19.
ARIZONA-AMERICAN WATER COMPLETES TOWN HALL MEETINGS ON RATE CONSOLIDATION
Pursuant to its pending rate case before the Arizona Corporation Commission, Arizona-American Water Company, Inc. held a final town hall meeting on the subject of rate consolidation for customers of its Anthem Water and Wastewater Districts on Monday, July 26, 2010. Arizona-American recently conducted similar town hall meetings for customers in Lake Havasu City, Bullhead City, Sun City, Scottsdale, Tubac, Surprise and Sun City West.
RUCO FILES INITIAL CLOSING LEGAL BRIEF IN ARIZONA-AMERICAN WATER COMPANY, INC. RATE CASE
Initial closing legal briefs were filed on Friday, July 16, 2010 in the Arizona-American Water Company, Inc. rate case. Reply legal briefs are due on Friday, August 6, 2010. RUCO's final accounting schedules were filed on Thursday, June 24, 2010.
The second phase of Arizona-American's evidentiary hearing, focusing on rate design, concluded on Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 1200 West Washington in Phoenix. The first phase of the evidentiary hearing, dealing with required revenue issues, concluded on Thursday, April 29, 2010.
RECOMMENDED OPINION AND ORDER ISSUED ON GLOBAL UTILITIES
The Administrative Law Judge assigned to hear Global Utilities request for an increase in rates issued her Recommended Opinion and Order ("ROO") on Tuesday, July 13, 2010. Exceptions to the ROO are now due on Wednesday, August 4, 2010. A vote on the matter by the five ACC Commissioners will occur at a yet-to-be-announced Open Meeting.
RUCO FILES INITIAL CLOSING LEGAL BRIEF ON PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO ARIZONA UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND
On Friday, July 9, 2010 RUCO filed its initial closing legal brief on a proposed amendment to the Arizona Universal Service Fund. Reply briefs are scheduled to be filed on Friday, August, 27, 2010.
The evidentiary hearing on the matter concluded at approximately 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 400 West Congress in Tucson.
ACC APPROVES SOLARCITY ADJUDICATION REQUEST
By a final vote of 5 - 0, ACC Commissioners passed an amended Recommended Opinion and Order that finds that SSA agreements such as those offered by SolarCity Corporation should not be regulated.
REPLY BRIEFS FILED ON CHAPARRAL CITY WATER COMPANY REHEARING
Reply legal briefs on the Chaparral City Water Company, Inc. rate case rehearing (Decision No. 71308, dated October 21, 2009) were filed on Tuesday, June 22, 2010. Initial closing legal briefs were filed on Monday, May 24, 2010. A late filed accounting exhibit, showing various required revenue scenarios requested by the Administrative Law Judge assigned to the case, was filed by ACC Staff on Wednesday, May 12, 2010.
The rehearing on the Chaparral City Water Company, Inc. rate case was concluded on Monday, April 12, 2010 at 1200 W. Washington in Phoenix. The purpose of the rehearing was to address two issues: the ratemaking treatment of Fountain Hills Sanitary District settlement proceeds and the recovery of legal fees associated with the appeal of Decision No. 68176.
COURT OF APPEALS AFFIRMS ACC REMAND DECISION ON CHAPARRAL CITY WATER COMPANY
On Thursday, June 10, 2010, the Arizona Court of Appeals Division One issued a Memorandum Decision affirming the Arizona Corporation Commission's Decision No. 70441, dated July 28, 2008 on Chaparral City Water Company. RUCO's Chief Legal Counsel and counsel for the Commission defended the ACC's remand decision on a fair value rate of return for Chaparral City Water Company before the Arizona Court of Appeals on Tuesday, January 12, 2010.
AMERICAN STATES WATER ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT TO SELL CHAPARRAL CITY WATER COMPANY
In a press release dated Tuesday, June 8, 2010, American States Water Company (NYSE:AWR) announced that it has entered into a stock purchase agreement with EPCOR Water (USA) Inc. to sell all of the common shares of Chaparral City Water Company a wholly-own subsidiary of AWR in Arizona.
EPCOR Water (USA) Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of EPCOR Utilities, Inc. ("EPCOR"). EPCOR builds, owns and operates water and wastewater treatment facilities, and electric transmission and distribution networks. It provides water and wastewater services to more than one million people in over 70 communities in Western Canada.
RUCO INTERVENES IN PROPOSED MERGER OF QWEST AND CENTURYLINK
On Wednesday, June 2, 2010, RUCO filed a motion to intervene in the proposed merger between Qwest Communications International, Inc., the dominant incumbent local exchange carrier in Arizona, and Monroe, Louisiana-based CenturyLink, Inc. Qwest and CenturyLink filed a joint application seeking approval of the merger with the Arizona Corporation Commission on May 13, 2010.
RATEPAYERS SPEAK OUT AT PUBLIC COMMENT MEETING ON RIO RICO UTILITIES, INC. RATE CASE
Ratepayers served by Rio Rico Utilities Inc. ("RRUI") had the opportunity to express their views on RRUI's pending rate case with three of the five sitting ACC Commissioners during a public comment meeting held at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 2, 2010 at the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Conference Room, 2150 N, Congress Drive in Nogales AZ.
The ACC's evidentiary hearing on RRUI concluded at approximately 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at 1200 West Washington in Phoenix. Public comment was taken at the start of the hearing in Tucson and a number of concerned citizens spoke up on the proposed 98 percent increase in water rates.
RUCO's reply legal brief on Rio Rico Utilities Inc.'s ("RRUI") request for a permanent rate increase was filed on Monday, May 10, 2010. Initial closing legal briefs were filed on Monday, April 19, 2010. RUCO's final accounting schedules were filed on Friday, April 9, 2010.
COURT OF APPEALS AFFIRMS ACC DECISION ON GOLD CANYON SEWER
On Thursday, May 20, 2010, the Arizona Court of Appeals Division One issued a Memorandum Decision affirming the Arizona Corporation Commission's Decision No. 70624, dated November 19, 2008 and Decision No. 70662, dated December 23, 2008 on Gold Canyon Sewer Company. Attorneys for RUCO and the ACC defended the Commission's Decisions before a panel of three appeals court judges in February 2010. Customers of Gold Canyon Sewer were on hand to witness the proceeding.
ALJ ISSUES PROCEDURAL ORDER ON FAR WEST SEWER
On Tuesday, April 13, 2010 the Administrative Law Judge assigned to Far West Water and Sewer Company's permanent rate case issued a procedural order that will leave the existing docket (WS-03478A-08-0454) open for compliance purposes only (i.e. the filing of reports and ACC Staff's study on the possible appointment of an interim manager).
During a procedural conference held on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 in Tucson, the attorney representing Far West announced that the company will withdraw its Application for a Permanent Rate Increase. Later that day, the Company filed a Motion to Withdraw Application with the Arizona Corporation Commission. Far West's Attorney stated that the wastewater company intends to file a new rate application sometime during Spring of 2011 after an ADEQ consent decree is satisfied and new wastewater treatment plant has been put into service.
At a Regular Open Meeting held on Wednesday, December 16, 2009, the five sitting ACC Commissioners adopted an amended Recommended Order and Opinion that denied Far West's request for interim rates.
RUCO RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF ACRM SURCHARGE FOR ARIZONA-AMERICAN WATER COMPANY'S TUBAC DISTRICT
On Tuesday, April 6, 2010, RUCO filed a memo recommending approval of a Step-1 Arsenic Cost Recovery Mechanism surcharge for Arizona-American Water Company's Tubac District. The surcharge was requested by Arizona-American Water Company in accordance with Decision No. 71410, dated December 8, 2009, in order to recover the costs of arsenic removal plant which is needed to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 10 parts per billion standard.
RUCO FILES REPLY BRIEF IN UNS ELECTRIC RATE CASE
In accordance with a procedural order issued on Wednesday, March 3, 2010, RUCO filed its reply legal brief in the UNS Electric, Inc. rate case on Friday, April 2, 2010. RUCO filed its initial closing legal brief on Tuesday, March 23, 2010.
ACC APPROVES APS' COMMUNITY POWER PROJECT- FLAGSTAFF PILOT
During the Regular Open Meeting on Thursday, April 1, 2010, the Arizona Corporation Commission voted to approve Arizona Public Service Company's ("APS") Community Power Project in Flagstaff, a pilot program that will bring solar panels to the rooftops of homes and businesses.
On Friday, February 26, 2010, RUCO filed comments on ACC Staff's report on APS' request for approval of the renewable distributed energy pilot program that will supplement APS' 2009 Renewable Energy Standard Implementation Plan.
COMMISSION ADOPTS AMENDED RECOMMENDED OPINION AND ORDER IN UNS GAS, INC. RATE CASE
During the Regular Open Meeting held on Wednesday, March 31, 2010, the five Arizona Corporation Commissioners voted to adopt an amended Recommended Opinion and Order on UNS Gas, Inc's request for an increase in permanent rates. The final decision contains a number of RUCO's positions in the case.
RUCO FILES COMMENTS IN ACC INVESTIGATION OF REGULATORY AND RATE INCENTIVES FOR GAS AND ELECTRIC UTILITIES
On Friday, March 26, 2010, RUCO filed comments in response to Arizona Corporation Commission Chair Kris Mayes’ Notice of Inquiry dated February 23, 2010.
RUCO FILES COMMENTS ON APS' REQUEST TO EXTEND COMPETITION RULES COMPLIANCE CHARGE
On Monday, March 1, 2010, RUCO filed comments on ACC Staff's Proposed Order recommending approval of APS' request to extend the collection period of its Competition Rules Compliance Charge. APS' request is scheduled to be voted on at the Arizona Corporation Commission's Regular Open Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 2, 2010.
REPLY BRIEFS FILED ON LITCHFIELD PARK SERVICE COMPANY RATE REQUEST
On Wednesday, February 24, RUCO filed its reply closing legal brief on Litchfield Park Service Company's ("LPSCO") request for increased water and sewer rates that is now before the Arizona Corporation Commission ("ACC").
Approximately 488 concerned citizens attended the recent ACC public comment meeting on LPSCO's request that was held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, January 25, 2010 in the Sachem Room of the Wigwam Resort, 300 Wigwam Boulevard, Litchfield Park. All five ACC Commissioners listened to the thirty-five customers of LPSCO who chose to express their opinions (for the record) on the Company's request. A representative from RUCO was also on hand to answer questions from concerned ratepayers.
The evidentiary hearing on Litchfield Park Service Company concluded on Friday, January 15, 2010.
APS SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT PASSED
During a late session of the Regular Open Meeting held on Wednesday, December 16, 2009, the five sitting Commissioners passed an amended order that adopted the APS Settlement Agreement by a vote of 4 to 1.
FINAL LEGAL BRIEFS FILED ON BLACK MOUNTAIN SEWER CORPORATION RATE CASE
The rescheduled evidentiary hearing on Black Mountain Sewer Corporation concluded on Wednesday, November 25, 2009. Initial closing briefs were filed on Friday, December 11, 2009. A second round of reply briefs were filed on Monday, December 21, 2009.
COURT OF APPEALS AFFIRMS ACC DECISION TO REJECT FIRE-FLOW SURCHARGE FOR ARIZONA-AMERICAN'S SUN CITY WATER DISTRICT
On Friday, June 26, 2009, the Arizona Court of Appeals affirmed the Arizona Corporation Commission's decision to reject a fire-flow surcharge for Arizona-American Water Company's Sun City Water District. The ACC decision adopted arguments made by RUCO during the Sun City Water District rate case proceeding. The appeal was filed by the Town of Youngtown.
RUCO PROFILED ON KAET'S "HORIZON" PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM
On Wednesday evening, May 27, 2009, the Residential Utility Consumer Office was profiled on local PBS affiliate KAET's public affairs program "Horizon." RUCO Director Jodi Jerich was interviewed by host Ted Simons during the segment.
Click here to view the 10 minute profile online.