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This Week in the Missouri PSC: April 4, 2018

Commission kicks Ameren’s pilot solar program back to the negotiating table

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Efficiency is the name of the game for the Missouri Public Service Commission, and efficiency is what the commissioners delivered in the latest agenda meeting.

With seven tariffs and new orders on the docket, the commission took 23 minutes to roll through the items and deliver their decisions.

The first item decided upon during the Wednesday afternoon meeting was an agreement authorizing Liberty Utilities to acquire the franchise and operating assets of six water and sewer companies owned by Ozark International, Inc.

The six water and sewer companies are Bilyeu Ridge Water Company, LLC, Midland Water Company, Inc., Moore Bend Water Utility, LLC, Riverfork Water Company, Taney County Water, LLC, and Valley Woods Utility.

Under the agreement, Liberty Utilities will continue to charge those customers what they are currently being charged for service.

“After reviewing the stipulation and agreement, the Commission independently finds and concludes that the stipulation and agreement is a reasonable resolution of the issues addressed by the stipulation and agreement and that such stipulation and agreement should be approved,” said the Commission.

The next item also dealt with Liberty Utilities, a motion to dismiss the rate case, saying it attempts to take advantage of the PSC’s small utility rate case process, which Chairman Daniel Hall said was the first time he had seen such a motion.

He agreed with the order before them, which would deny that motion.

The claim stated that Liberty was too large to utilize the small rate case process rule, that it has more than 8,000 customers, which Hall said he did not believe was correct.

The commission appreciated the movants’ “creativity” in trying to argue that the actual number of customers was 36,686 due to time-share homeowners, instead of the less-than-8,000 meters counted, but denied the motion with a unanimous vote.

The PSC also voted to send rule changes regarding the applications for certificates of convenience and necessity and rescissions relating to the manufactured housing regulation to the Secretary of State with 5-0 votes.

The fifth order concerned a complaint, which Chairman Hall withdrew, saying he believed more work needed to be done, and that they would take it up next week.

In the matter of Spire’s “never-ending” rate case, as Hall called it, the commission discussed the filed tariffs, which they said were in compliance with their order issued on March 7, 2018. The commission approved those with a 5-0 vote.

As for Ameren Missouri’s application for a CCN to offer a pilot solar program, using two 500 kW projects of community solar, which allows consumers to subscribe in if they choose.

The projects would be located at Lambert International Airport.

Staff filed a recommendation against the tariff, saying they believe it should be rejected because it is not consistent with stipulations, which the Office of Public Counsel agreed with.

That means that the parties would either need to come to an agreement or if they can’t, it must be litigated. Staff said the parties are currently working and discussing the issues to see if they can find a compromise.

The commission voted in 5-0 favor of the order.