NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF AN APPLICATION BY APPALACHIAN NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
FOR APPROVAL TO IMPLEMENT SAVE RATES FOR
EACH CUSTOMER CLASS FOR YEAR 3 OF ITS
SAVE PLAN
CASE NO. PUR-2021-00086
On April 29, 2021, Appalachian Natural Gas Distribution Company (“ANGD” or the “Company”) filed an application (“Application”) pursuant to § 56-603 et seq. of the Code of Virginia (“Code”), known as the Steps to Advance Virginia’s Energy (“SAVE”) Plan Act, and in accordance with the State Corporation Commission’s (“Commission”) July 16, 2019 Order Approving SAVE Plan and Rider for ANGD in Case No. PUR-2019-00011 (the “2019 SAVE Order”). ANGD’s Application seeks approval to implement SAVE rates for each customer class for Year 3 of its SAVE Plan (the “Year 3 Rates”). ANGD requests that the proposed Year 3 Rates for each customer class become effective August 1, 2021.
In its Application, the Company states that it sells and distributes natural gas to approximately 1,500 customers in the Virginia Counties of Russell, Dickenson, Buchanan, Wise, Lee, Tazewell and Carroll. The Company further states that in its 2019 SAVE Order, the Commission directed ANGD to file its request for Year 3 Rates by May 1, 2021, for the rate year beginning August 1, 2021, and ending July 31, 2022. Per ANGD, the Commission also held that ANGD’s initial “Reconciliation Rate” would be filed in Year 3 of the SAVE Plan and would reconcile the 17-month period of August 1, 2019, through December 31, 2020.
According to the documents and workpapers submitted by the Company in support of the revenue requirement for the Year 3 Rates, the revenue requirement and Year 3 Rates are designed to recover the costs, as defined by § 56-603 of the Code, of eligible infrastructure replacement projects that will occur in Year 3. The Year 3 projects are outlined in Schedule 17 to the Commission Staff (“Staff”) Report filed in Case No. PUR-2019-00011 and include replacement of approximately 6,000 feet of vintage plastic main in the Tazewell area, on Calvin St., Virginia Ave., Tazewell Ave., Doak St., Square St., Crescent St., Tolbert St., Keister St., Meadow St., Schenley Ave. and Franklin St., and Fairview Bypass. The total 2021 SAVE Factor Revenue Requirement presented by the Company is $204,872. According to Schedule 17 of the Company’s Application, residential customers will receive a charge of $6.52 per month, an increase of $1.69 or 3.08%, on the average residential monthly bill compared to the $4.83 current SAVE charge.
The details of these and other proposals are set forth in the Company’s Application. Interested persons are encouraged to review the Company’s Application and supporting exhibits for the details of these proposals.
TAKE NOTICE that the Commission may adopt rates that differ from those appearing in the Company’s Application and supporting documents and may apportion revenues among customer classes and/or design rates in a manner differing from that shown in the Application and supporting documents.
The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Comment on May 13, 2021, that, among other things, directed the Company to provide notice to the public and provided interested persons an opportunity to comment on the Company’s Application. In its Order Modifying Procedural Schedule, the Commission modified the dates in the May 13, 2021 Order for Notice and Comment as provided below.
The Commission has taken judicial notice of the ongoing public health emergency related to the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, and the declarations of emergency issued at both the state and federal levels. In accordance therewith, all pleadings, briefs, or other documents required to be served in this matter should be submitted electronically to the extent authorized by 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (“Rules of Practice”). Confidential and Extraordinarily Sensitive information shall not be submitted electronically and should comply with 5 VAC 5-20-170, Confidential information, of the Rules of Practice. For the duration of the COVID-19 emergency, any person seeking to hand deliver and physically file or submit any pleading or other document shall contact the Clerk’s Office Document Control Center at (804) 371-9838 to arrange the delivery.
Pursuant to 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, the Commission has directed that service on parties and Staff in this matter shall be accomplished by electronic means. Please refer to the Commission’s Order for Notice and Comment for further instructions concerning Confidential or Extraordinarily Sensitive Information.
An electronic copy of the Application may be viewed on the Commission’s website or obtained, at no charge, by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company: Brian R. Greene, Esquire, GreeneHurlocker, PLC, 4908 Monument Avenue, Suite 200, Richmond, Virginia 23230, or [email protected].
On or before July 14, 2021, any interested person may file comments on the Application by following the instructions on the Commission’s website: scc.virginia.gov/casecomments/Submit-Public-Comments or by filing such comments with the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. All such comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-2021-00086.
On or before July 14, 2021, any interested person or entity wishing to participate as a respondent in this proceeding may do so by filing a notice of participation. If not filed electronically via scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling, an original and fifteen (15) copies of the notice of participation shall be submitted to the Clerk of the Commission at the address above. Such notice of participation shall include the email addresses of such parties or their counsel. Pursuant to Rule 5 VAC 5 20 80 B, Participation as a respondent, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, any notice of participation shall set forth: (i) a precise statement of the interest of the respondent; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. Any organization, corporation, or government body participating as a respondent must be represented by counsel as required by Rule 5 VAC 5-20-30, Counsel, of the Rules of Practice. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2021-00086.
On or before July 14, 2021, any interested person may request that the Commission convene a hearing in this matter by filing a request for hearing, either electronically via scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling, or by filing an original and fifteen (15) copies with the Clerk of the Commission at the address above. Requests for a hearing must include the email address of the filer or its counsel, along with: (i) a precise statement of the filing party’s interest in the proceeding; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; (iii) a statement of the legal basis for such action; and (iv) a precise statement why a hearing should be conducted in this matter. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR 2021-00086.
A copy of any notices of participation and requests for hearing simultaneously shall be sent to counsel for the Company electronically at the email address set forth above.
The Company’s Application, the Commission’s Rules of Practice and the Commission’s Orders in this docket may be viewed at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information.
APPALACHIAN NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
ID: 513668