Case Details

Filings (58) Data Requests (10)Public Comments (5) Active Party and Notification List (41) Assigned Staff (14)

Item No.	Date Filed	Description Of Filing	Filing Party	Filed By	No of Attachments	Deleted Filings
58	6/20/2024	Northern Utilities, Inc. Cost of Removal Plan	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL INC	Taylor, Patrick	3
57	5/14/2024	PROCEDURAL ORDER ON CONTINUATION OF COST OF REMOVAL MEETING	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	1
56	4/24/2024	PROCEDURAL ORDER ON COST OF REMOVAL MEETING	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	1
55	4/17/2024	Letter Regarding Northern Utilities, Inc. Compliance Filing	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL INC	Taylor, Patrick	1
54	3/29/2024	PROCEDURAL ORDER- Granting Filing Extension	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	1
53	3/29/2024	Northern Utilities, Inc. d/b/a Unitil Motion for Extension of Time	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL INC	Taylor, Patrick	1
52	9/20/2023	ORDER APPROVING STIPULATION	COMMISSION, MPUC	COMMISSION, MPUC	5
51	9/15/2023	Transcript of PWH 9/13/23	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	1
50	9/7/2023	PROCEDURAL ORDER ON REMOTE PARTICIPATION AT PUBLIC WITNESS HEARING	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	1
49	8/31/2023	Stipulation	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL INC	Hewitt, William	5

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View By Set	View By Question

DR Set ID	Set Description	Issue Date	No. of DR Questions	Propounded Upon	View Questions in Set
EXM-001	Capital Structure and ROE-Diggins, Francouer, D'Ascendis	5/24/2023	11	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL SERVICE CORP	View Questions
EXM-002	General	5/24/2023	11	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL SERVICE CORP	View Questions
EXM-003	Allis	5/24/2023	12	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL SERVICE CORP	View Questions
EXM-004	Closson and Conneely	5/24/2023	13	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL SERVICE CORP	View Questions
EXM-005	Dixon	5/24/2023	3	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL SERVICE CORP	View Questions
EXM-006	Kahl	5/24/2023	5	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL SERVICE CORP	View Questions
EXM-007	Sales Forecast	5/25/2023	4	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL SERVICE CORP	View Questions
EXM-008	Goulding & Nawazelski	5/25/2023	15	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL SERVICE CORP	View Questions
EXM-009	General	5/26/2023	10	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL SERVICE CORP	View Questions
EXM-010	Goulding & Nawazelski	5/26/2023	8	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL SERVICE CORP	View Questions

Posted By	Posted Date	Comments	Attachment(s)
Julie Smith 227 Valley St #1 Portland ME 04102 Email ID: julieesmith857@gmail.com	5/26/2023	CommentTextI just received a letter from Unitil stating they have requested an increase for their natural gas distribution rate and sent it to PUC for approval. I am a resident that uses natural gas for heating and have been since 2002 when purchasing my home. Due to my income I use their budget billing plan so I will know the amount I'll pay every month. Within the past few years Unitil has installed numerous new gas lines throughout Portland and taken on a large amount of new customers which , I'm sure, has increased their revenue by tens of thousands of dollars. The lines are new, so they don't need maintenance. A few months ago and of course during the winter months they increased my monthly bill another $15.00 due to the rate increase they imposed. Now they want in to increase it again another $13.76 a month stating it will reflect the cost to operate, maintain and improve the natural gas infrastructure. Why should we as customers take on another increase when they have grown their revenue by thousands. I STRONGLY oppose the PUC approving this rate increase. I am now retired and live on very little. This jump will only hurt me and many other Unitil customers to even put food on the table. Thank you for your time and serious consideration about this concerning situation for me and many Maine people.
Carson Hanrahan 54 Surfsite Rd, South Portland, ME 04106 Email ID: carson.hanrahan@gmail.com	5/15/2023	I'm appalled that Unitil again has requested a raise in distribution rates, totalling $11.8M, or a 7.3% overall revenue increase and 19% distribution increase. There is no good reason for this. It hits consumers during a particularly dire time for rising energy costs and inflation. There is no substantiation by Unitil for this rate increase, nor justification for their increased revenue. Furthermore, the distribution of that increase across customer class is way off-balance - in essence, this highest consumers receive the lowest increase. Residential customers are bearing nearly 50% of the overall increase, R2 (Heating) getting 22.2%a nd R1 (Non-heating) getting 29.3%. Commercial and Industrial, being the heaviest consumers, receive the least increase, particularly G42 (high annual/high winter) and G52 (high annual/low winter) receiving 4.8% and 5.4% total rate increase respectively. Whether this is due to lobbying by business or other factors, this is markedly unfair with the largest consumers receiving the lowest increase. Stop fleecing the residential customer. I am NOT in support of this request and know of no residential customer, who have no choice but to use Unitil, who are in favour of it. PUC, please do your job in being an advocate for the consumer in this monopoly and reject Unitil's proposed increase.
Ashley Hanamann 24 Gilman St. Apt 3 Portland, ME 04102	5/12/2023	I recently received a letter from Unitil notifying me of their request for a rate increase. I don't think I have to tell you that Mainers are in dire straits regarding energy costs. CMP has already received unfettered rate increases, with more on the way. Unitil's rates are not far behind. In fact, I can confirm that my Unitil bills were often higher than CMP's this past winter. It is no secret that CMP, Unitil, and other energy companies have been using the war in Ukraine, COVID, and myriad other excuses to raise rates. However, their record profits over the past few years point to the true cause, which is corporate greed. Without any regulation or accountability, the problem can only worsen. Upon reviewing MPUC's decisions regarding rate increases, I have seen no accountability for energy companies like CMP and Unitil. What is the MPUC's role if not to protect the interests of Maine residents from price-gouging in the name of profit? We face an unprecedented housing crisis largely fed by greedy corporate interests like CMP and Unitil. The MPUC has repeatedly failed in their duty to protect the rights of Maine residents. The elderly, low-income residents, and people with medical needs are being disconnected from electric and gas power as we speak. They face thousands of dollars in energy costs they cannot pay, largely due to unregulated rate increases and dishonest billing practices. Mainers are losing their housing as a result. I call on the MPUC to meet their obligation to the residents of Maine by limiting rate increases that Unitil and CMP submit for their own monetary benefit. Mainers should not be homeless so utility companies can rake in more profits.
Nicole Savoy 876 Broadway, South Portland, ME	5/9/2023	As a customer of Unitil I recently received a letter stating that this case is pending with the Maine PUC to increase the rates of natural gas. The letter states that "The proposed increase is to ensure that rates charged to customers correctly reflect the costs to operate, maintain and continuously improve the natural gas infrastructure that provides you service." This comment does not justify their rate increase. We all know the economy is in a stressful state and we're seeing the cost of inflation hit communities of lower economic status harder than a corporation like Unitil. Unitil's 2022 Annual Report cites that just their total operating costs (TOC) have been increasing each year: 2020 saw a TOC of $418.6 million, 2021 reported $473.3 million, and then a staggering $563.2 million in 2022. These amounts do not align with an increase in customers served by Unitil. In 2020 Unitil reported 192,700 customers. In 2021 that increased to only 194,300. Then last year, in 2022, their reported customers increased to 195,600. This means that Unitil saw a $144.6 million increase in TOC while only acquiring only 2,900 new customers. These numbers lead us, as customers, to believe that the rate increase is not necessary. Unitil appears to be taking advantage of the stress individuals and families are facing from the economic downturn by using it as an excuse for raising costs. However, they are not suffering from the economy as we are. Every gas company is on the docket to gain approval for rate increases. They are acting in the best interest of the company, not their customers. Utility companies will take as much money from us as they are allowed and we are at their mercy because we need heat and electricity. The MPUC stands in their way. Please, stand up for us and turn down the request for a rate increase. It's a decision that serves only Unitil and harms us 195,000 customers they serve.
Philip Gage 119 Delaware Court Portland, ME 04103 Email ID: pc.gage@gmail.com Phone No.: 207 272 8224	5/9/2023	I received a notice today regarding UNITIL's proposed increase in natural gas distribution rates in Maine. I have three comments: 1. I received the notice today, one day after a deadline for filing petitions (May 8), and one day before the initial case conference (May 10). This is not enough time for the public to register their concerns in this matter. 2. The distribution rate increase seems large; the percent increase for residential users is greater than commercial users. This does not seem equitable. An overall 19% increase in distribution revenues seems excessive. 3. In Portland UNITIL is adding/replacing more distribution lines. It's not clear how this is part of a large plan to use less fossil fuels. Instead this seems to be encouraging increased use of natural gas.

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Notification List Active Party List

Name of Person/Company	Representing Company	Mailing Address	Email/Phone/Fax
Bohan PhD, Todd	SPRAGUE ENERGY SOLUTIONS, LLC	185 International Drive Portsmouth NH 03801	Email ID: tbohan@spragueenergy.com Phone Ph: 603-766-3046 Fax:
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	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL INC	6 Liberty Lane West Hampton NH 03842	Email ID: edemeris@unitil.com Phone Fax:
Deprey, Elizabeth	OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC ADVOCATE	103 Water Street, 3rd FL Hallowell ME 04347	Email ID: elizabeth.m.deprey@maine.gov Phone Fax:
Dillman MR, Christopher		333 Western Ave. South Portland ME 04106	Email ID: christopher.dillman@onsemi.com Phone Ph: 207-831-5615 Fax:
Dillman, Christopher		333 Western Ave. South Portland ME 04106	Email ID: christopher_dillman@diodes.com Phone Ph: 207-831-5615 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:
Goulding, Christopher	NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. D/B/A UNITIL INC	6 Liberty Lane West Hampton NH 03842	Email ID: gouldingc@unitil.com Phone Ph: 617-909-1127 Fax:

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Staff Name	Role
Bean, Vanessa	Hearing Examiner
Beaze, Erin	Staff Analyst
Coty, Dale	Support Staff
Creamer, Robert	Hearing Examiner
Davidson, Derek	Staff Analyst
Grumstrup, Ethan	Staff Analyst
Haskell, Michael	Staff Analyst
Healy, Nora	Hearing Examiner
Littlefield, Briana	Staff Analyst
McBride, Jameson	Staff Analyst

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