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For Immediate Release: September 15, 2020 John B. Rhodes, Chair
Contact: James Denn | James.Denn@dps.ny.gov | (518) 474-7080
20074 / 20-G-0101
September 15, 2020
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Virtual Public Statement Hearings Scheduled Regarding Corning Natural Gas Corporation’s Proposed Changes In Gas Delivery Rates And Practices |
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ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) will hold two virtual public statement hearings on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, to receive public comments concerning proposed changes in the gas delivery rates and practices of Corning Natural Gas Corporation (Corning).
On February 27, 2020, Corning filed amendments to its gas tariff schedules, proposing an increase in annual gas delivery revenues of $6,255,926 for the rate year ending January 31, 2022. Corning also proposed an alternative three-year rate plan with a levelized series of annual gas delivery revenues of $3,523,468 in each of three rate years ending January 31, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
On May 12, 2020, Corning filed corrections and updates to its initial rate filings. As updated, the requested revenue increase on a one-year basis would be $6,223,603, down from $6,255,926. The proposed annual three-year levelized rate increase would decline from $3,523,468 to $3,482,816. On a one-year basis, the Company asserts that the requested increase in gas delivery revenues would result in an average monthly bill increase of about $28.61 (42.1% on the delivery bill or 28.6% on the total bill) for an average residential heating customer. On a three-year basis, the Company asserts that the requested increases in gas delivery revenues would result in an average monthly bill increase of about $18.12 (26.8% on the delivery bill or 18.2% on the total bill) for an average residential heating customer.
In response to Corning’s filings, DPS Staff, Multiple Intervenors, and Bob Wyman filed testimony and exhibits on June 26, 2020. Major drivers of the differences between Corning’s request and some of the other parties’ recommendations involve disputes over Corning’s request for a 10.20% return on equity and Corning’s proposal to depreciate its assets using a cap of a maximum of 30 years on its assets’ remaining useful lives, as a result of Corning’s view of the impact of New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Corning filed rebuttal testimony and exhibits on July 24 and 30, 2020.
Corning filed a Notice of Impending Settlement Negotiations on August 4, 2020. Settlement negotiations commenced on August 21, 2020, and are ongoing.
Documents pertaining to this proceeding may be reviewed online at the Department of Public Service web page: www.dps.ny.gov by searching under Case 20-G-0101.
Under New York State law, the Public Service Commission must consider a utility's proposal and may adopt or reject it, in whole or in part, or modify it. In doing so, the Commission will consider changes proposed by the participating parties and general public.
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that virtual information sessions and public statement hearings on this rate case proceeding will be held before Administrative Law Judges Gregg Sayre and Sean Mullany of the Department of Public Service at the following date and times. To provide individuals with information in advance of the public statement hearings, information sessions will be held at the times stated below, and the public statement hearings will immediately follow. During these sessions, Corning representatives will provide a brief overview of the Company’s proposals. In addition, an Administrative Law Judge will provide a brief overview of the review process.
Those wishing to comment on any aspect of these proceedings will have the opportunity to make a statement on the record at the virtual public statement hearings. Any person wishing to provide a public statement must register in advance of the hearing.
To register electronically: Participants who would like to provide a statement and will login to a hearing electronically may register to do so by visiting www.webex.com by 5:00 P.M. on Friday, September 18, 2020. From the Webex homepage, registrants should click “Join” at the top right-hand corner of the screen, enter the appropriate event number listed above, and provide all requested information.
When logging in to a hearing on the appropriate date and time of the hearing, participants should visit www.webex.com, click “Join” at the top right-hand corner of the screen, and input the appropriate event number for the hearing. Participants will be asked to “select audio system.” It is recommended that participants opt to have the system “call me” or “call using computer.” The “call me” option will require participants to enter their phone numbers.
To register by phone: Any participant who is not able to login to a hearing electronically may participate by phone. Call-in participants wishing to provide a statement must register to do so by calling 1-800-342-3330 by 5:00 P.M. on Friday, September 18, 2020, where they should follow prompts to the appropriate hearing and provide the following information: first and last name, address, and phone number.
On the appropriate date and time of a hearing, all call-in users should dial (518) 549-0500 and enter the relevant access code listed above.
All participants will be muted upon entry into the hearing. The ALJs will call on each person who has requested to provide a statement to speak. Each public statement hearing will be held open until everyone who has registered to speak has been heard or other reasonable arrangements to submit comments into the record have been made. Time limits may be set for each speaker as necessary. It is recommended that lengthy comments be submitted in writing and summarized for oral presentation. A verbatim transcript of the hearing will be made for inclusion in the record of this case.
To listen to the hearing: Any person who would like to listen to the hearing but would not like to make a statement may access the hearing without registering. The hearings will be livestreamed on the internet and available for viewing on the Department of Public Service’s YouTube channel on the dates and times listed above. To access the YouTube channel, visit the Department’s website, www.dps.ny.gov, and click on the YouTube icon at the bottom of the homepage. In addition, any person without internet access may listen to the hearings by phone by calling the phone access number, (518) 549-0500, and entering the applicable access code.
Persons with disabilities requiring special accommodations should call the Department of Public Service’s Human Resources Management Office at (518) 474-2520 as soon as possible. TDD users may request a sign language interpreter by placing a call through the New York Relay Service at 711. Individuals with difficulty understanding or reading English are encouraged to call the Department at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this notice.
Other Ways to Comment
For those who cannot attend or prefer not to speak at a public statement hearing, there are several other ways to provide your comments. Comments should refer to Case 20-G-0101. Although comments will be accepted throughout the pendency of this proceeding, they are requested by September 30, 2020.
Internet or Mail: Go to www.dps.ny.gov, click on “Search,” enter the case number “20-G-0101” in the “Search by Case Number” field, and then click on “Post Comments” at the top right of the page; or send comments by email to the Secretary to the Commission at secretary@dps.ny.gov.
Alternatively, comments may be mailed to Hon. Michelle L. Phillips, Secretary, Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350. All written comments will become part of the record considered by the Commission and may be accessed on the Department of Public Service website by searching the case number, as described above, and clicking on the “Public Comments” tab. Toll-Free Opinion Line: You may call the Commission’s Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120. This number is set up to take comments about pending cases from in-State callers, 24-hours a day. These comments are not transcribed verbatim, but a summary is provided to the Commission.
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