BEFORE THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OF WYOMING

 

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER FOR APPROVAL OF A GENERAL RATE INCREASE IN ITS RETAIL ELECTRIC UTILTY SERVICE RATES IN WYOMING OF $62.8 MILLION PER YEAR OR AN AVERAGE OVERALL INCREASE OF  10.4 PERCENT

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Docket No. 20000-405-ER-11

(Record No. 13034)

 ORDER SETTING PROCEDURAL SCHEDULE

(Issued January 27, 2012)

 

This matter is before the Wyoming Public Service Commission (Commission) upon its own motion, to establish a procedural schedule for the proceedings in the above-docketed matter. 

 

The Commission, having reviewed its files in this matter, Rocky Mountain Power’s (RMP or the Company) proposed procedural schedule, the parties’ comments at the scheduling conference, and being otherwise fully advised in the premises, FINDS AND CONCLUDES:

 

1.         A duly noticed scheduling conference was held on January 20, 2012.  All parties were represented by counsel and participated fully in the scheduling conference.      

 

2.                  The following procedural schedule, agreed upon by the parties at the scheduling conference, is accordingly set:

 

Deadline for RMP to file updated Net Power Cost and associated work-papers

April 13, 2012

Deadline for all parties to complete discovery on RMP direct testimony.  All responses are due within 10 calendar day of receipt.

April 16, 2012

Deadline for all Intervenors to pre-file direct testimony

April 30, 2012

Deadline for all parties to complete discovery on Intervenors’ pre-filed direct testimony.  All responses are due within 10 calendar days of receipt.

May 15, 2012

Deadline for Intervenors to file Supplemental Testimony and related work-papers regarding RMP’s updated Net Power Costs

May 15, 2012

Deadline for all parties to file rebuttal testimony and for Intervenors’ cross answer testimony

May 25, 2012

Deadline for all parties to exchange exhibits

June 6, 2012

Public Comment Hearing

June 13, 2012, from 3:00 p.m.to 7:00 p.m. in the Casper City Council Chambers  located in the Casper City Hall at 200 North David St.

Deadline for parties to file any pre-hearing motions and any objections to pre-filed testimony and exhibits, and required pre-hearing documents

June 14, 2012

Deadline for all parties to complete discovery regarding RMP’s rebuttal testimony or Intervenors’ cross answer testimony 

All responses are due within 7 business day of receipt.

June 15, 2012

Pre-Hearing Conference

June 15, 2012, at 10:00 a.m., in Cheyenne

Exhibit conference

July 2, 2012, at 8:30 a.m.

Public hearing

Commencing July 2, 2012, at 9:00 a.m., in Cheyenne.  Hearing to be held July 2-6, 2012 and July 16-20, 2012, in Cheyenne as necessary

 

 3.         All pre-filed direct, rebuttal and cross-answer testimony and exhibits, and pre-hearing documents are to be filed concurrently with the Commission and served on all parties, and shall be filed electronically and in hard copy on the deadline dates.  All discovery shall be completed prior to the date of the pre-hearing conference.  To the extent possible, parties should resolve discovery disputes among themselves.  Failing in this, the parties shall bring disputed discovery matters immediately to the attention of the Commission as pleadings with any documentation reflecting the dispute.  The moving party in any such discovery dispute must certify that it has in good faith conferred or attempted to confer with the party not making the disclosure in an effort to secure the disclosure without Commission action.  The Commission waives any restriction on the number of discovery requests, but parties retain the right to object if abuse of this waiver occurs.

 

4.         The parties are directed to file an electronic PDF copy of all pleadings, in addition to the paper copies, so that all pleadings may be placed on the Commission’s website.

 

            5.         The parties are directed to be prepared to address the themes and topics mentioned in public comments and customer complaints in pre-filed testimony and/or the public comment or full evidentiary hearings. 

 

            6.         For purposes of exhibit labeling, the following numbering system shall be used:

 

 

Party

Numbers

RMP

1-99

WIEC

100-199

OCA

200-299

 QEP

300-399

AARP

400-499

DOE

500-599

Commission

A-Z

 

 

7.         Prior to the June 15, 2012, prehearing conference, the parties shall confer regarding stipulations to uncontroverted facts and the use of joint exhibits to avoid unnecessary duplication.  At the pre-hearing conference, each party, having fully exchanged all proposed testimony and exhibits on or before June 6, 2012, shall have thoroughly reviewed all proposed exhibits of the other parties and be prepared to acknowledge the specific exhibits to which they intend to object to and the specific exhibits to which they will stipulate to admission. 

 

8.         At the pre-hearing conference, each party shall file with the Commission the original and seven copies of the following described documents.  The parties shall segregate the required information into separate documents:

 

            a)         A current summary of the contention of the party entitled “(Party name) Updated Summary of Contentions.”

 

            b)         A summary of remaining issues of fact and law for determination by the Commission.

 

            c)         For each witness who will testify to matters not included in pre-filed testimony, a brief summary of the witness’s proposed testimony which specifies the issue(s) to which the testimony will be directed.

    

 

            d)         A single, stipulated (by all parties) current summary of the uncontroverted and stipulated facts entitled, “Stipulated Summary of Uncontroverted Facts.”  This item is to be filed jointly by all the parties rather than individually.

 

            e)         Its respective exhibit schedules setting forth the proper numbering of their exhibits, consistent with their presentation of their witnesses.  The exhibit schedules shall refer to numbered and labeled exhibits the party intends to offer into the record, including all pre-filed testimonies and exhibits that will be adopted by testifying witnesses.  Each party shall provide a copy of its respective exhibit schedules and a package containing all exhibits to be submitted to the Court Reporter when the Hearing Officer accepts the exhibits into the record at the exhibit conference on July 2, 2012, at 8:30 a.m.

 

            9.         Any party that wishes to cease participation in this proceeding shall file a Petition for Leave to Withdraw, which shall include a statement or explanation describing the effect, if any, on the public interest and the orderly and efficient conduct of the proceeding of such party’s withdrawal.  Parties shall be permitted to withdraw only upon a showing that no material detriment to the public interest or the orderly and efficient conduct of the proceeding is likely to result therefrom.

 

            10.         The public hearing regarding the above captioned matter will commence July -6, 2012 and July 16-20, 2012, at 9:00 a.m. at the Commission’s offices located at 2515 Warren Avenue, Suite 300, in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

 

            11.         This Order is effective immediately.

           

MADE and ENTERED at Cheyenne, Wyoming on January 27, 2012.

 

BY ORDER OF THE COMMISSION:

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                               

STEVE MINK, Assistant Secretary

            (SEAL)                                                Wyoming Public Service Commission

                                                                        2515 Warren Avenue, Suite 300

                                                                        Cheyenne, WY 82002