Case Details

- Case Details:

Case Number:

2017-00065

Case Status:

Approved by Commission

Utility/Industry Type :

Gas

Utility/Industry Subtype :

Local Distribution Companies (LDCs)

Case Type :

REQUEST FOR APPROVAL

Case Subtype :

RATE CHANGE - 307

Pertaining to Utility/Company :

NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL INC

Case Title :

REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF RATE CHANGE - 307 (3/1/18) PERTAINING TO NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL.

Initiating Filer :

NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL INC

Case Start Date :

3/31/2017

Assigned Staff :

Beverly.Shejen,
Derek.D.Davidson,
Faith.Huntington,
LYNN.A.FORTIN,
Leslie.Raber,
Lucretia.Smith,
Sally.Merritt,
Matthew.Rolnick,
Jason.Marco,
Carol.MacLennan,
Christine.R.Cook,
Chuck.Cohen

View Case References

Filings (102) Data Requests (10)Public Comments (11) Active Party and Notification List (23) Assigned Staff (12)

Item No.	Date Filed	Description Of Filing	Filing Party	Filed By	No of Attachments	Deleted Filings
102	8/30/2018	ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR CLARIFICATION	COMMISSION, MPUC	COMMISSION, MPUC	1
101	8/8/2018	Exceptions of Northern Utilities, Inc.	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL INC	Taylor, Patrick	1
100	7/24/2018	EXAMINERS REPORT	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	1
99	6/7/2018	Notice of Proceeding, Opportunity to Intervene and Comment in Docket No 2018-00124	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	1
98	5/31/2018	LT Lanphear Requesting Official Notice	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL INC	Taylor, Patrick	1
97	5/7/2018	ORDER	COMMISSION, MPUC	COMMISSION, MPUC	2
96	4/3/2018	PROCEDURAL ORDER	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	1
95	3/19/2018	Motion for Clarification	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL INC	Taylor, Patrick	1
93	3/2/2018	Tariff Approved 3/1/18	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	1
92	3/1/2018	Compliance Filing Part 2 - TIRA Tariff Language	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL INC	Kahl, Christopher	1

Per Page

1 of 11 First Prev Next Last Go To

Posted By	Posted Date	Comments	Attachment(s)
Becky Lewiston, ME	7/2/2019	I got a letter from Unitil yesterday informing me that they are asking for a price increase. The way the letter is written it feels like they are including me or that I am allowing them somehow to get more money. The letter almost made me feel like "we" were going to gain something from the price increase. I think it is shameful and I really don't need a price increase. Maine is too cold and the people's usage should get them a price decrease.
Hanson cestel Florida	11/18/2018	Where can i find original article? www.cestelkimya.com
Craig A. Pendleton Biddeford=Saco Chamber of Commerce+Industry 28 Water Street Suite 1 Biddeford, ME 04005 Email ID: Craig@BiddefordSacoChamber.org Phone No.: 207-282-1567	10/12/2017	Please accept the attached letter as comments for Unitil's request for a rate increase	Unitil Support Letter.docx
Leroy Fournier 280 Randall Road Lewiston, Maine 04240 Email ID: leefournier49@gmail.om Phone No.: 207-784-7077	7/13/2017	First, I received a letter from Unitil, what stated a number of clains some of which were not true and others were concerning The letter I received on June 15th, was dated June 13th and allowed to submit a petition by June 14th? And stated that the request fro rate Increase was in compliance with Maine State laws. I am sure the capable staff at the PUC picked that up too. Further he letter states that: The proposed increase is to allow Unitil to recover cost associated with capital improvement to the distribution system.....and will support an increase in our capacity to serve a growing number of customer. I feel that a company that wished to expand it services should approach to stock holder to pay for that growth, not the rate payers. The initial system was and has been paid for my the investors and the current rates should be covering the cost of those customer. The current customers should not be expected to pay for Unitil growth.
Sharon Sawyer Cobwebs 235 Congress St Portland ME	7/13/2017	The proposed increase.....................	Public Comments 2017-00065.pdf
Robert O'Brien 95 West Street Portland, Maine 04102 Email ID: rjobrien@mail.com Phone No.: 207-939-7703	6/28/2017	Dear Commissioners: As a residential gas customer of Unitil, I received notice from the company of proceedings at the Maine Public Utilities Commission requesting a 9.2% R2 class gas price increase. There was one phrase in the letter explaining the need for such an increase that caught my eye: "...and will also support an increase in our capacity to serve a growing number of customers." The Maine Public Utilities Commission has the expertise, experience and access to data to evaluate such a statement, but to me, that statement suggests the company is taking on more customers than its infrastructure can handle and not charging those new customers enough to cover the costs to service them. It makes sense for a business to maximize the capacity of its existing infrastructure with new customers; it does not make sense to exceed its current capacity and ask existing customers to subsidize expansion to new customers who are paying less than it costs to serve them. I hope you will not allow Unitil to pass on the costs to existing customers of expanding infrastructure to new accounts. Sincerely, Robert O'Brien
Kathy Munjoy St Portland	6/26/2017	What sense does it make to mail their document dated June 13th, when on the flip side it says any petition must be filed no later than June 14th? Unitil is financially sound and returning value to their shareholders: How about if Unitil shareholders incur some of the costs? If they are making a profit, isn't it reasonable to ask that Unitil reinvest some of that profit toward into their system (while still returning some value to shareholders)? 9.2% increase to residential heating seems rather excessive (as does returning to Unitil a 7% and 15% increase in operating revenues/gas distribution revenues, respectively). I hope the Maine PUC will examine their request in detail on behalf of those of us who use Unitil.
Carl G Gercke 130 PIne St Rear Portland, ME 04102 Email ID: cgercke@yahoo.om Phone No.: 207-615-2820	6/26/2017	Unitil's rate case seeks a 14% increase in gas distribution revenues in part, to "...support an increase in our capacity to serve a growing number of customers." I do not believe it is far for rate payers to be asked to pay for expansion of the gas distribution infrastructure to handle new customers. New customers should pay for that. Existing customers should pay for maintenance and perhaps upgrades of the existing system, but any system capacity expansion should be financed by the company's stockholders, as the benefits will accrue to them solely. Thank you, Carl Gercke Portland Maine
Caroline Sprague Cumberland, Maine	6/22/2017	Unitil intentionally mailed a letter to customers after the time frame we could express opposition to their outrageous rate hike request to the commission. Based on that alone, the commission should reject their base rate hike request. If that isn't enough to convince the commissioners, I would ask them to consider the fact that Unitil's customers have been lured in my the company to convert to gas with free hook ups and payment plans on conversions of furnaces. Now that they have all of us over a barrel, they are asking to increase base rates by 14%. Clearly they are out to gouge their customers. Please do not let them get away with anything more than a minimal rate increase. Please protect the consumers in Maine who are helpless as they are the only provider available to us.
Mike Auburn Maine	6/20/2017	I have also raised the same comments with the PUC Matt raised regarding the failure to send the letter to customers in a reasonable time frame. Since Unitil has a monopoly on Natural Gas they should have known better regarding the process and as a customer I see this as an intentional neglect of the legal proceedings in order to provide a benefit to themselves. For that reason alone the whole process should be restarted so public can attend all meetings. I would also bring this to the PUC's attention that a 7 & 14 percent price rise is well above the Federal Reserves Inflation rate and is price gouging customers from 5- 12 percent. In addition Unitil doesn't state why they need the extra 6 million in capital which is clearly not for market inflationary reasons as per the Federal reserve market inflation has been less than 2 %. The public shouldn't be charged for any new infrastructure builds as unitil should be using current profits to expand their business should they wish to expand nor should they be getting excessive profits over inflation when they have a monopoly.

Per Page

1 of 2 First Prev Next Last Go To

Notification List Active Party List

Name of Person/Company	Representing Company	Mailing Address	Email/Phone/Fax
CMP Regulatory Administration, Debra Mills Y		83 Edison Drive Augusta ME 04336	Email ID: CMPRegAdmin@avangrid.com Phone Ph: 207-242-8438 Fax: Fax: 207-621-4714
Conneely, Joseph	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL INC	6 Liberty Lane West Hampton NH 03842	Email ID: conneely@unitil.com Phone Fax:
CREED, WILLIAM		526 WASHINGTON AVE, 1R PORTLAND ME 04102	Email ID: Phone Fax:
Demeris, Elena		6 Liberty Lane West Hampton NH 03842	Email ID: edemeris@unitil.com Phone Fax:
Dunkel, William			Email ID: bdunkel@aol.com Phone Fax:
Epler, Gary	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL INC	6 Liberty Lane West Hampton NH 03801	Email ID: epler@unitil.com Phone Ph: 603-773-6440 Fax: Fax: 603-773-6640
Fishell, Darren		92 Salem St. Portland ME 04102	Email ID: darren.fishell@gmail.com Phone Fax:
Hewitt, William	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL INC	PO Box 797 Yarmouth ME 04096	Email ID: whewitt@HewittLegalAdvisors.com Phone Ph: 207-846-8600 Fax:
Lamson, Donald		207 Farewell St 207 Lewiston ME 04240 4206	Email ID: Phone Fax:
Libby, Marcia A		PO Box 9729 Portland ME 04104 5029	Email ID: mlibby@bernsteinshur.com Phone Ph: 207-228-7346 Fax:

Per Page

1 of 3 First Prev Next Last Go To

Staff Name	Role
Cohen, Chuck	Hearing Examiner
Cook, Christine	Staff Analyst
Davidson, Derek	Staff Analyst
FORTIN, ETHELYN	Support Staff
Huntington, Faith	Staff Analyst
MacLennan, Carol	Staff Analyst
Marco, Jason	Staff Analyst
Merritt, Sally	Staff Analyst
Raber, Leslie	Hearing Examiner
Rolnick, Matthew	Staff Analyst

Per Page

1 of 2 First Prev Next Last Go To

DR Set ID	Set Description	Issue Date	No. of DR Questions	Propounded Upon	View Questions in Set
EXM-001	Examiners Data Request No. 1 RE: Shaw Testimony	6/23/2017	14	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL	View Questions
EXM-002	EXM 02 RE: Gajewski/Normand Testimony	6/23/2017	6	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL	View Questions
EXM-003	EXM 03 Re: Conversion from CCFs to Therms	6/27/2017	7	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL	View Questions
EXM-004	EXM04 RE: Chong Testimony	6/27/2017	45	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL	View Questions
EXM-005	EXM 05 Re: LeBlanc/Sprague Testimony	6/27/2017	34	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL	View Questions
EXM-006	EXM 07 Re: Cost of Capital questions for Hevert	6/29/2017	9	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL	View Questions
EXM-007	EXM 07 Re: Gajewski/Normand	6/29/2017	7	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL	View Questions
EXM-008	EXM08 RE: Hanson Testimony	6/30/2017	14	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL	View Questions
EXM-009	EXM 09 RE: Normand - Depreciation	6/30/2017	14	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL	View Questions
EXM-010	EXM 10 Witness Normand	8/15/2017	8	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL	View Questions