-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, Pdb9DHayLDOQAWniPmqPHyKmVudLM0S+l5bdzCKznIh636fzadFcIe0fhZL068OE 3a28Nb9fMgwuWm2Nu4ePkg== 0000950123-07-000511.txt : 20070118 0000950123-07-000511.hdr.sgml : 20070118 20070118101130 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950123-07-000511 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 7 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20070116 ITEM INFORMATION: Other Events ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20070118 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20070118 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CONNECTICUT WATER SERVICE INC / CT CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000276209 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: WATER SUPPLY [4941] IRS NUMBER: 060739839 STATE OF INCORPORATION: CT FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 000-08084 FILM NUMBER: 07536658 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 93 W MAIN ST CITY: CLINTON STATE: CT ZIP: 06413 BUSINESS PHONE: 8606698630 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 93 WEST MAIN ST CITY: CLINTON STATE: CT ZIP: 06413 8-K 1 y29083e8vk.htm FORM 8-K 8-K
Table of Contents

 
 
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): Jan. 18, 2007 (Jan. 16, 2007)
Connecticut Water Service, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Connecticut
 
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
     
0-8084   06-0739839
 
(Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)
     
93 West Main Street, Clinton, Connecticut   06413-0562
 
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)
860-669-8630
 
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
N/A
 
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
     Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
     o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
     o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
     o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
     o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 
 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Item 8.01 Other Events
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
SIGNATURES
EXHIBIT INDEX
EX-99.1: REVISED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
EX-99.2: FINAL DECISION OF THE CONNECTICUT DPUC
EX-99.3: PRESS RELEASE
EX-99.4: COMPANY STATEMENT


Table of Contents

Item 8.01 Other Events
          As previously reported, on December 4, 2006, the Connecticut Water Company, the principal operating subsidiary of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. (collectively, the “Company”) entered into a settlement agreement with the Prosecutorial Staff of the DPUC and the Office of the Consumer Counsel of the State of Connecticut related to the Company’s July 2006 rate application with the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (the “DPUC”) to increase revenues $14.6 million by raising rates for customers of the Company’s Connecticut Water, Crystal and Unionville divisions.
          The Company entered into a revised settlement agreement with the Prosecutorial Staff of the DPUC and the Office of the Consumer Counsel of the State of Connecticut, dated December 20, 2006. A copy of the revised settlement agreement, as filed with the DPUC on December 20, 2006, is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
          On January 17, 2007, the Company announced that the DPUC has issued its final decision approving the Company’s rate application. A copy of the DPUC’s final decision, dated January 16, 2007, is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.2 and is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
          The DPUC’s final decision approving the amended Settlement Agreement provides for a two step phase-in of higher rates over a 15 month period beginning in January 2007. The first step, effective January 1, 2007, will result in an increase of annual revenues of approximately $7.1 million over pre-rate case revenues of $49.1 million. The second step, effective April 1, 2008, will increase annual revenues by approximately $3.8 million and will provide for the recovery of costs associated with additional plant investments made during calendar 2007 in a limited reopener proceeding in January 2008.
          A copy of the Company’s press release dated January 17, 2007 is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.3 and is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The Company also distributed a statement dated January 16, 2007 concerning the DPUC’s final decision to local media outlets. A copy of the Company’s statement is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.4 and is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

-2-


Table of Contents

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
          The following are filed herewith as exhibits
          (c) Exhibits
  99.1   Revised Settlement Agreement between the Company, Mary J. Healey, Office of Consumer Counsel of the State of Connecticut, and the Prosecutorial Staff of the DPUC, dated December 20, 2006.
 
  99.2   Final Decision of the Connecticut DPUC, Docket No. 06-07-08, dated January 16, 2007.
 
  99.3   Company press release, dated January 17, 2007.
 
  99.4   Company statement, dated January 16, 2007.

-3-


Table of Contents

SIGNATURES
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.
         
  CONNECTICUT WATER SERVICE, INC.
a Connecticut corporation
 
 
Date: January 18, 2007  By:   /s/ David C. Benoit    
    Name:   David C. Benoit   
    Title:   Vice President — Finance and Chief Financial Officer   
 

-4-


Table of Contents

EXHIBIT INDEX
     
Exhibit No.   Description
 
99.1
  Revised Settlement Agreement between the Company, Mary J. Healey, Office of Consumer Counsel of the State of Connecticut, and the Prosecutorial Staff of the DPUC, dated December 20, 2006.
 
   
99.2
  Final Decision of the Connecticut DPUC, Docket No. 06-07-08, dated January 16, 2007.
 
   
99.3
  Company press release, dated January 17, 2007.
 
   
99.4
  Company statement, dated January 16, 2007.

-5-

EX-99.1 2 y29083exv99w1.htm EX-99.1: REVISED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT EX-99.1
 

Exhibit 99.1
STATE OF CONNECTICUT
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITY CONTROL
         
APPLICATION OF THE CONNECTICUT
  :   DOCKET NO. 06-07-08
WATER COMPANY TO AMEND RATE
  :    
SCHEDULES
  :   December 20, 2006
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
     This Settlement Agreement is made as of the 20th day of December 2006 by and among The Connecticut Water Company (“CWC”), the Office of Consumer Counsel (“OCC”) and the Prosecutorial Staff of the Department of Public Utility Control (“PRO”). CWC, OCC and PRO are sometimes referred to individually as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties.”
Background
     1. On July 18, 2006, CWC filed an application for a rate increase of $14,600,000 or approximately 30% over present rates (the “Application”). This was the first CWC rate increase request in 16 years. The Application also requested a variety of changes to the CWC rules and regulations and the fees applicable to miscellaneous services. The Department of Public Utility Control (the “Department”) opened a rate proceeding referred to as Docket No. 06-07-08 in order to review the request.
     2. The Parties participated fully in the administrative litigation of this proceeding including extensive discovery, an audit, 6 evening public comment sessions and 11 days of public hearings at the Department’s offices. The Office of the Attorney General also participated as an intervenor, as did the Northeast Connecticut Council of Governments. During this process the Department compiled an extensive amount of record evidence. At the conclusion of the administrative proceeding, CWC filed updated evidence that resulted in a final rate increase request of $14,985,000.
     3. The Parties simultaneously conducted settlement negotiations in an attempt to craft a resolution of this case that was fair to all stakeholders, was sensitive to consumers’ preference for a smoother rate plan than the initial proposal and allowed CWC to earn a reasonable return of and on its investment. This Settlement Agreement sets forth that resolution and is submitted to the Department for its review and approval. This Agreement also responds to concerns raised by the Department following a public hearing to consider a prior version of the Agreement dated December 4, 2006.
     4. This Settlement Agreement represents an integrated set of trade-offs and compromises in order to achieve the goal of a fair resolution of this proceeding. It reflects the concerns voiced by customers as well as state and local officials that a phased-in increase that mitigates the customer impacts would be preferred rather than a one-time rate increase. It also

-6-


 

balances customer impacts against CWC’s need to charge rates that reflect its costs of rendering service. As more fully set forth in section E below, none of the Parties necessarily finds any particular element of the Settlement Agreement reasonable standing apart from the rest of the Agreement.
A. Basic Elements of Phased-in Rate Increase
     1. The allowed revenue requirements as a result of the Application without regard to the phase-in are calculated as follows:
         
Proposed rate increase (LFE 18)
  $ 14,985,339  
Settlement adjustments
    (4,044,518 )
 
     
Rate increase
  $ 10,940,821  
The allowed increase includes an adjustment to pro forma revenues at current rates of $326,429 over CWC’s requested pro forma revenues at current rates as shown on LFE 18. The $326,429 was, therefore, backed out of the rate increase. These adjustments result in total pro forma revenues after the rate increase of $60,002,791, an increase of 22.3% over pro forma revenues at current rates.
     2. This rate increase shall be phased in over a 15-month period. The first phase shall be effective for service rendered on and after January 1, 2007. The second phase shall be effective for service rendered on and after April 1, 2008.
a. The first phase is an increase of $7,117,772 or 14.5%.
b. The second phase is an increase of $3,823,049 (6.8% of 2007 allowed revenues) plus the amortization of the regulatory asset created by the deferral and described in paragraph C. 4. below. This phase of the increase reflects the revenue requirements arising from the rate base treatment of the balance, as of April 1, 2008, of the deferred portion of the total 22.3% increase and the beginning of the 20-yr amortization of the regulatory asset representing the deferral. Detailed calculations describing the creation of the regulatory asset are shown in Attachment A. The second phase will also include the adjustments that result from the 2008 limited reopener described in paragraph B below.
B. 2008 Limited Reopener
     1. In addition to the phased-in rate increase described in paragraph A, CWC shall file, on or about January 30, 2008, a request to reopen Docket No. 06-07-08 for the limited purpose of allowing a further rate adjustment based upon
a. increases in rate base arising from additional plant funded by CWC and placed in service on or before December 31, 2007 (but in no event more than $15.5 million) less

-7-


 

b. the 2007 increment to accumulated depreciation less
c. the additional deferred taxes related to liberalized depreciation (Act 282) as of 12-31-07 .
This net rate base addition shall be multiplied by the allowed rate of return of 8.07% and a tax multiplier of 1.4156. CWC shall also be allowed to recover the additional property taxes on the 2007 plant additions based upon the latest actual mill rates then in effect, plus the depreciation expense related to the CWC funded 2007 plant additions. All of the foregoing items shall be documented by evidence submitted by CWC and subject to such additional discovery and cross examination as the Department, OCC or other participants shall deem appropriate.
     2. No other adjustments to expense, revenue, rate base or rate of return shall be considered in the 2008 limited reopener. The Department shall review the levels of proposed increase using its customary procedures and no increase shall be implemented based on the limited reopener except as approved by the Department.
     3. Illustrative calculations demonstrating the mechanical aspects of the limited reopener rate adjustment and the implementation of the second phase of the initial rate increase are shown in Attachment B.
C. Detailed Elements of Phased-in Rate Increase
     1. The allowed return on equity shall be 10.125% in place of the CWC requested return of 11.25%. Using the CWC proposed capital structure, this results in an allowed return on rate base of 8.07%. The return on rate base calculation is shown in Attachment C.
     2. Allowed rate base as of December 31, 2006 shall be $175,470,195 based upon the information in LFE 18.
     3. Depreciation shall remain at current rates. This reduction, when combined with disallowances of O&M expenses will result in a reduction of approximately $2 million, including the disallowance of the Company’s SERP expense. Total allowed O&M expenses are $28,391,394.
     4. CWC shall record deferred revenue of $318,580 per month from January 2007 through and including March 2008. This represents the portion of the phased in rate increase that is being deferred for fifteen months. The deferred principal amount shall be included in rate base and CWC shall begin to amortize that amount over a 20-year period.
     5. Other amortization amounts and amortization periods shall be as reflected in CWC’s application as updated through LFE 18.
     6. A summary of these key elements is shown in tabular form in Attachment

-8-


 

D. Rate Design
     1. Meter charges, consumption charges and fire protection charges shall be based upon the rate design set forth in LFE-18, adjusted pro rata across the board to reflect the initial 14.5% increase. The same approach will be employed for the April 1, 2008 increase.
     2. As of January 1, 2007, special and miscellaneous charges will be implemented as set forth in LFE-18 and will not be further adjusted on April 1, 2008.
     3. Rules and regulations governing customer service and related items will include all changes requested by Department staff during the public hearings.
     4. Rates, rules and regulations complying with this Settlement Agreement will be filed on or about December 5, 2006.
E. Other issues
     1. Upon Department approval of the Settlement Agreement in its entirety, CWC agrees that it shall not file a new application for a general increase in rates pursuant to section 16-19 of the General Statutes that would become effective prior to January 1, 2010, provided that CWC reserves the right to request rate relief that would become effective prior to January 1, 2010 if CWC incurs or will incur unanticipated substantial and material cost increases as a result of changes in law, administrative requirements or accounting standards, or due to force majeure events such as acts of God, strikes, lockouts, acts of the public enemy, wars, riots, landslides, lightning, earthquakes, fires, storms, floods, breakage or accident to machinery or lines of pipe, line freeze ups, and other cause, whether the kind herein enumerated, or otherwise, and whether caused or occasioned by or happening on account of the act or omission of CWC, which is not in the control of CWC and which by the exercise of due diligence CWC is unable to prevent or overcome, occurring after the date of this Settlement Agreement
     2. The record in this proceeding provides sufficient evidence on which the Department can rely to make a determination that the Settlement Agreement is reasonable and in the public interest and that the resulting rates comply with applicable law.
     3. The Parties waive the right to submit briefs prior to the Department issuing a Draft Decision approving or rejecting the Settlement Agreement.
     4. The Parties agree that this Settlement Agreement is in the public interest.
     5. This Settlement Agreement is intended to be an integrated document. As such, the terms contained herein are interdependent and not severable, and they shall not be binding upon, or deemed to be an admission or concession by any Party, or to represent the positions of the Parties, if the Settlement Agreement is not fully approved

-9-


 

by the Department. If the Department does not approve this Settlement Agreement in its entirety, it shall be deemed withdrawn, it shall not constitute a part of the record in this or any other administrative or judicial proceeding, shall not be admissible as evidence or be used for any purpose whatsoever in this or any other administrative or judicial proceeding, and each Party shall be free to advocate any position on any of the issues addressed by the Settlement Agreement in this or any other administrative or judicial proceeding, unless the Parties agree otherwise.
     6. The Parties shall support the Settlement Agreement before the Department, any other public forum and any court to which an appeal may be taken, shall do nothing to undermine the integrity of the Settlement Agreement and shall take all such action necessary on a cooperative basis to secure approval and implementation of the provisions of the Settlement Agreement.
     7. The discussions which have produced this Settlement Agreement have been conducted on the explicit understanding that all offers of settlement and discussions relating thereto are and shall be privileged and confidential, shall be without prejudice to the position of any Party presenting such offer or participating in any such discussions, and are not to be used in any manner in connection with this or any other administrative or judicial proceeding involving any or all of the Parties or otherwise.
     8. This Settlement Agreement does not represent an admission or concession by the Parties as to the proper disposition of any issue not related to this Settlement Agreement in any future proceeding before the Department, any court or any other administrative agency. It does not signify the Parties’ agreement with any claim or claims made by any Party in this case. This Settlement Agreement or any of its terms shall not prejudice the positions that the Parties may take on any issue in any future proceeding not related to this Settlement Agreement during the term of this Settlement Agreement before the Department, the courts or any other administrative agency, and shall not be admissible as evidence therein or in any proceeding not related to the matters covered by this Settlement Agreement before the Department, the courts or any other administrative agency and shall not be deemed an admission or concession by any of the Parties in regard to any claim or position taken by any other of the Parties in such proceedings. The Settlement Agreement is not intended to establish precedent in such proceedings. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as a waiver of, or limitation upon any Party’s right to raise any issues contained herein in any subsequent docket not related to this Settlement Agreement during the term of this Settlement Agreement.

-10-


 

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Parties has duly executed this Settlement Agreement as of the date set forth above.
         
  THE CONNECTICUT WATER COMPANY
 
 
  By   /s/ David C. Benoit    
    David C. Benoit   
    Chief Financial Officer, Vice-President- Finance and Treasurer   
 
  MARY J. HEALEY
CONSUMER COUNSEL
 
 
  By:   /s/ Richard E. Sobolewski    
    Richard E. Sobolewski   
    Supervisor of Technical Analysis   
 
  PROSECUTORIAL STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITY CONTROL
 
 
  By /s/ Miriam L. Theroux    
    Miriam L. Theroux   
     
 

-11-

EX-99.2 3 y29083exv99w2.htm EX-99.2: FINAL DECISION OF THE CONNECTICUT DPUC EX-99.2
 

Exhibit 99.2
STATE OF CONNECTICUT
(LOGO)
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITY CONTROL
TEN FRANKLIN SQUARE
NEW BRITAIN, CT 06051
DOCKET NO. 06-07-08   APPLICATION OF THE CONNECTICUT WATER COMPANY TO AMEND RATE SCHEDULES
January 16, 2007
By the following Commissioners:
John W. Betkoski, III
Anne C. George
Jack R. Goldberg
DECISION

 


 

DECISION
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Summary
     In this Decision, the Department of Public Utility Control adopts an amended Settlement Agreement dated December 20, 2006, which sets forth a rate increase for the Connecticut Water Company of $10,940,821 over pro forma revenues at current rates of $49,061,970, for total annual revenues of $60,002,791. This rate increase will be phased in over a 15-month period. In this Decision, the rate increase for Phase I amounts to $7,117,772. Therefore, the total allowed annual revenues to be allocated in rates are $56,179,742 for Phase I. The Company agrees not to seek a general rate increase that would become effective prior to January 1, 2010, except under certain extraordinary circumstances.
B. Background of the Proceeding
     The Connecticut Water Company (CWC or Company) currently serves approximately 80,000 customers in 41 towns in Connecticut through 29 separate, non-contiguous water systems. The Company is organized into five regions: Shoreline, Naugatuck, Northern, Unionville and Crystal. Except for the Unionville Region, each of these regions contains multiple water systems. At present, the Company uses several existing rate schedules throughout its regions.
     By application filed on July 18, 2006 (Application), submitted pursuant to Section 16-19 of the General Statutes of Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat.) and Sections 16-1-53 et seq. of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies (Conn. Agencies Regs.), CWC requested the approval of the Department of Public Utility Control (Department) to amend its existing rate schedules. According to the Application, the Company proposes to increase total annual revenue by $14,629,664, or approximately 30%, over adjusted test year revenues of $48,735,541. The Application contains different rate increases for its regions and, in some cases, specific systems in certain regions. According to the Application, the proposed rates reflect a move toward single tariff pricing as well as specific limitations in consideration of the impact of the designed rates.
C. Conduct of the Proceeding
     By Notice of Inspection dated August 24, 2006, the Department conducted an inspection of the plant and facilities that comprise the Company, commencing August 30, 2006.
     By Notice of Audit dated August 28, 2006, the Department conducted an audit of the Company’s books and records at its offices, 93 West Main Street, Clinton, Connecticut, commencing September 12, 2006.

 


 

Docket No. 06-07-08   Page 2
     By Notice of Hearing dated September 5, 2006, pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-19 and Conn. Agencies Regs. §§ 16-1-53 et seq., the Department held public evening hearings on this matter on September 19, 2006, at the Clinton Town Hall, 54 East Main Street, Clinton, Connecticut; on September 20, 2006, at the Killingly Town Hall, 172 Main Street, Danielson, Connecticut; on September 27, 2006, at the Naugatuck Town Hall, 229 Church Street, Naugatuck, Connecticut; on September 28, 2006, at Farmington Community Center, 321 New Britain Avenue, Unionville, Connecticut; on October 4, 2006, at the Enfield Town Hall, 820 Enfield Street, Enfield, Connecticut; and on October 5, 2006, at the South Windsor Town Hall, 1540 Sullivan Avenue, South Windsor, Connecticut.
     The evidentiary sessions of the hearing were held at the offices of the Department, Ten Franklin Square, New Britain, Connecticut, on September 27 and 28, and October 3, 4, 5, 11, 19, 20, 23, 24 and 30, 2006. On October 30, 2006, the Department continued the hearing without date for the limited purpose of entering Late File Exhibit No. 18, which had yet to be filed, into the record. The Company completed its filing of Late Filed Exhibit No. 18 as of November 15, 2006. Thereafter, by Notice of Close of Hearing dated November 17, 2006, the Department closed the record on this proceeding.
     By filing dated December 4, 2006, the Company submitted a copy of a Settlement Agreement in this proceeding, as signed by the Company, the Office of Consumer Counsel, and the Prosecutorial Unit of the Department (collectively, the Settling Parties). The Settlement Agreement attempted to resolve all outstanding issues in this proceeding. By subsequent filing dated December 7, 2006, the Company filed the proposed rates, the rules and regulations, and customary rate design analyses to implement the Settlement Agreement.
     By Notice of Reopening of Evidentiary Record and Notice of Hearing dated December 8, 2006, the Department reopened the evidentiary record in this proceeding for the limited purpose of obtaining additional information regarding the Settlement Agreement through interrogatories and cross-examination. Pursuant to said Notice, the Department held an additional hearing at its offices on December 14, 2006. Thereafter, the Department again closed the record on this proceeding.
     By letter dated December 19, 2006, the Department denied the Settling Parties’ request to approve the Settlement Agreement, as proposed. However, the Department indicated that it would continue to consider amendments to the Settlement Agreement should they be filed with the Department by December 21, 2006.
     By filing dated December 20, 2006, the Settling Parties offered an amended Settlement Agreement for the Department’s consideration. A copy of the amended Settlement Agreement, as amended, is attached hereto as Attachment B. The Settling Parties requested that the Department review the Settlement Agreement on an expedited basis in order for the new rates to go into effect January 1, 2007.
     On December 28, 2006, the Department issued a draft Decision in this matter. All Parties and Intervenors were provided the opportunity to submit written exceptions to and present oral arguments on the draft Decision.

 


 

Docket No. 06-07-08   Page 3
D. Parties and Intervenors
     The Department designated The Connecticut Water Company, 93 West Main Street, Clinton, Connecticut 06413; and the Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC), Ten Franklin Square, New Britain, Connecticut 06051 as Parties to this proceeding.
     Pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 16-2(f)(5) and 16-19j(a), the Department designated the Prosecutorial Unit of the Department (PRO) as a Party to this proceeding.
     By Motion dated August 14, 2006, the Office of the Attorney General (AG’s Office), Ten Franklin Square, New Britain, Connecticut 06051, requested intervenor status. By letter dated August 23, 2006, the Department granted Intervenor status to the AG’s Office to this proceeding.
     By Motion dated September 14, 2006, the Northeast Connecticut Council of Governments (NECCOG)1 requested party or, alternatively, intervenor status. By letter dated 19, 2006, the Department granted Intervenor status to NECCOG to this proceeding.
E. Public Comment
     The Department conducted the first of five public comment hearings on September 19, 2006, in Clinton. The other four public comment hearings were subsequently held in Killingly, Enfield, South Windsor, Farmington, and Naugatuck. At each of these public comment hearings, the Company gave a short presentation about its Application. According to the Company, several factors compelled it to request a rate increase, including a rise in its operating costs of about 60%, increases in health care and employee wages, and $130 million invested in its infrastructure.
     The public comment hearings were attended by several state and municipal officials, including: State Senator John A. Kissel, State Representatives Ruth Fahrbach, Kathy Tallarita and Demetrios Giannaros, Vernon Mayor Ellen Marmer, First Selectman William Fritz of Clinton, Killingly Town Chairwoman Janice Thurlow, and Unionville Town Council Chairman Mike Clark. All of the above provided their comments concerning the Application. In particular, Senator Kissel and Representative Fahrbach spoke about their concerns about the possible impact of the Application on senior citizens and other constituents on fixed incomes and the municipalities they represent. Senator Kissel also asked the Company to consider a special rate for customers whose income meets certain qualifications or live on fixed incomes. Representative Giannaros commented that he shared his constituents’ concerns of how the increase would affect customers and strongly opposed the Company’s proposal. Mayor Marmer asked that the Company take into consideration that many of the towns it serves already have fiscal budgets in place. She suggested the possibility of phasing in the rate increase for town buildings and fire protection. Chairwoman Thurlow noted that the Crystal and Gallup Divisions just experienced a rate increase less than a year ago. She voiced her concerns about the effect that another rate increase would have on customers in those divisions. She further commented on how the proposed increase would affect the northeast Connecticut region, which is deemed to be among the poorest areas in Connecticut in terms of income and poverty rate.
 
1   NECCOG is a regional council of governments created and acting pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 4-124i et seq.

 


 

Docket No. 06-07-08   Page 4
     For the most part, most of the customers who attended the hearings and spoke on the record expressed concerns about the impact that higher rates would have on customers with fixed incomes. They also objected to the size of the Company’s requested rate increase. Several customers questioned the Company’s decision in waiting 15 years to file this Application. Several customers at the hearing in Killingly mentioned the noticeable taste of chlorine in water from their system. A Unionville Division customer noted that a 30% surcharge is already included in his bill. He expressed concern that the proposed rate increase would be in addition to that surcharge. Another Unionville Division customer described the Company’s failure to address his dirty water complaint.
     A number of customers commented that they would rather pay an increased price for water than sacrifice water quality. Although they did not want a rate increase, they understood that the Company has also experienced cost increases in addition to the capital improvements the Company has made.
     Mr. Andizeas of Farmington, a former director of the Unionville Water Company, expressed the need for a viable water service. Although he also did not want his water bill to increase, he understood that the proposed increase would assure the continued viability of the Company.
     The Department has received over 55 letters from customers commenting on the Application. Comments contained in these letters were largely objections to the level of increase requested by the Company. The Department is also in receipt of a transcript for a town meeting held by the Town of South Windsor on September 19, 2006. A portion of this transcript addresses the Town of South Windsor’s opposition to the proposed rate increase. The Department is further in receipt of written comments submitted by the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) in support of the Application. MCCC stated that the Company has earned a reputation as a reliable service provider with a proven record of providing quality customer service.
     The Department notes that no public comment was offered at the reopened hearing on December 14, 2006, which was held for the limited purpose of obtaining additional information regarding the Settlement Agreement.
F. Administrative Notice Taken
     The Department has taken administrative notice of a section of the transcript to the August 16, 2006 hearing in Docket No. 06-05-10, Application of Birmingham Utilities for Rate Adjustment. Specifically, administrative notice is taken of pages 1452 through 1489, which relates to the cross-examination of and testimony by Mr. John Guastella relative to the weather normalization study he performed on behalf of Birmingham Utilities, Inc. in that proceeding. Response to Interrogatory WA-196; and Tr. 10/19/06, p. 1161.
     By way of Interrogatory WA-147, CWC was asked whether it objected to the Department taking administrative notice of a number of financial data sources. In response, the Company stated no objection. Response to Interrogatory WA-147. Therefore, the Department has also taken administrative notice of the following:

 


 

Docket No. 06-07-08   Page 5
  (a)   Recent and historical U.S. Treasury Rates (90-day, 180-day, 10-year, 20-year and 30-year) as reported in the Wall Street Journal and online at:
  (1)   www.bankrate.com/brm/ratewatch/leading-rates.asp; and
 
  (2)   www.ustreas.gov/offices/domestic-finance/debt-management/interest-rate.
  (b)   Allowed ROEs (source: Regulatory Research Associates, Inc. Regulatory Focus: Major Rate Case Decisions: January 1985 to December 2005, pp. 4-5);
 
  (c)   Latest S&P Stock Guide;
 
  (d)   Latest S&P Bond Guide;
 
  (e)   Value Line: Water Industry Group, latest edition;
 
  (f)   Blue Chip Economic Indicators, latest edition through the end of this proceeding; and
 
  (g)   Ibbotson Associates, Stocks, Bonds, Bills and Inflation (SBBI) 2006 Yearbook, 2006 edition, including Basic Series exhibit and Determination of the Discount Rate exhibit.
II. DEPARTMENT ANALYSIS
A. Settlement Agreement
     By filing dated December 4, 2006, the Department received a Settlement Agreement jointly signed by the Settling Parties with a stated intent to resolve all outstanding issues in this proceeding. This Settlement Agreement is the result of settlement negotiations simultaneously conducted by the Settling Parties “in an attempt to craft a resolution of this case that was fair to all stakeholders, was sensitive to consumers’ preference for a smoother rate plan than the initial proposal and allowed CWC to earn a reasonable return of and on its investment.” Settlement Agreement, p. 1. The Settlement Agreement: (1) “represents an integrated set of trade-offs and compromises in order to achieve the goal of a fair resolution”; (2) “reflects the concerns voiced by customers as well as state and local officials that a phased-in increase that mitigates the customer impacts would be preferred rather than a one-time rate increase”; and (3) “balances customer impacts against CWC’s need to charge rates that reflect its costs of rendering service.” Id.
     On December 7, 2006, the Company filed the proposed rates, rules and regulations, and customary rate design analyses for implementation of the Settlement Agreement.
     In response to the Department’s letter dated December 19, 2006, which rejected the Settlement Agreement as proposed, the Settling Parties submitted an amended Settlement Agreement on December 20, 2006.

 


 

Docket No. 06-07-08   Page 6
     The amended Settlement Agreement seeks approval of $10,940,821, or 22.3%, in increased revenues, which is significantly less than that sought in the Application. This rate increase would be phased in over a 15-month period in two phases. Amended Settlement Agreement, p. 2. Phase I is an increase of $7,117,772, or 14.5%. The allowed rate schedules would be based upon the rate design set forth in Late Filed Exhibit No. 18, but adjusted pro rata across-the-board to reflect the 14.5% increase. In Phase II, the Company’s rates would be increased across-the-board to generate a revenue increase equivalent to $3,823,049 (6.8% of the 2007 allowed revenues) plus the amortization of the regulatory asset created by the deferral of $318,580 in revenue per month from January 2007 through and including March 2008.
     The amended Settlement Agreement further allows the Company to request a reopening of this proceeding on or about January 30, 2008. The reopened docket would be for the limited purpose of allowing a further rate adjustment based upon increases (totaling no more than $15.5 million) in rate base arising from additional plant that is Company-funded and placed in service on or before December by 31, 2007, less: (a) the 2007 increment to accumulated depreciation; and (b) the additional deferred taxes related to liberalized depreciation as of December 31, 2007.
     As stated in Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-19jj, “The Department of Public Utility Control shall, whenever it deems appropriate, encourage the use of proposed settlements produced by alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to resolve contested cases and proceedings.”
     In the instant docket, the Department has deemed it appropriate to utilize a proposed settlement by an alternative dispute resolution mechanism for the following reasons:
    The principal component of the proposed rate increase is due to CWC significantly expanding the size of its utility operations (including the size of its service territories through various acquisitions of other water utilities), customer growth, and increases to its rate base due to the addition and replacement of utility plant since the Decision dated March 27, 1991, in Docket No. 90-06-24, Application of Connecticut Water Company to Increase Its Rates to All Customers (1991 CWC Rate Case Decision), the Decision dated March 3, 1999, in Docket No. 98-09-08, Application of Unionville Water Company for a Rate Increase (1999 Unionville Rate Case Decision), and the Decision dated December 28, 2005, in Docket No. 05-07-08, Application of Crystal Water Company of Danielson to Amend Rate Schedules (2005 Crystal Rate Case Decision);
 
    An on-site audit of the Company’s books was conducted, on-site inspections of its plant and facilities were performed, interrogatories were issued and hearings were held to clarify data contained in the Application and to obtain further information related to the Application;
 
    The Company has a solid history of completing capital projects in a timely manner;
 
    With the exception of the Phase II reopener to be filed on or about January 30, 2008, the Company has agreed not to file a new application for a general

 


 

Docket No. 06-07-08   Page 7
      increase in rates pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-19 that would become effective prior to January 1, 2010, unless such request is based upon unanticipated substantial and material cost increases incurred as a result of changes in law, administrative requirements or accounting standards, or due to force majeure events; and
 
    The Settling Parties agree that the resolution of matters covered by the amended Settlement Agreement is in the best interest of the Company’s customers, the public and the Parties.
B. Operating Revenues
     1. General
     In the Application, the Company listed test year revenues for CWC, Crystal and Unionville of $41,537,134, $2,778,099 and $3,138,010, respectively, for a test year combined total of $47,453,243. Adding pro forma adjustments of $1,282,298, the Application originally stated $48,735,541 in pro forma revenues at present rates. Application, Schedule C-2.0. The Company requested an increase of $14,629,664 for total annual revenues at proposed rates of $63,365,205. Application, Schedule C-1.0.
     Over the course of several filings dated October 13 and 16, and November 2, 3, 8, 13, 14 and 15, 2006, CWC filed Late Filed Exhibit No. 18, which constitutes its final revisions to the Application’s exhibits and schedules to reflect the corrections and revisions prompted by the Department and the Parties through interrogatories and cross-examination. In particular, by filing dated November 3, 2006, the Company submitted its revised operating income summary, Revised Schedule C-1.0, which reaffirmed pro forma annual revenues at present rates as $48,735,541, but restated pro forma annual revenues at proposed rates as $63,720,880. As a result, the Company slightly raised its requested increase in annual revenues to $14,985,339 [$63,720,880 - $48,735,541], or approximately 30.75%. Late Filed Exhibit No. 18, Revised Schedule C-1.0.
     The above pro forma revenue amounts include adjustments for weather normalization that were determined through the use of a methodology (Base Load Methodology) that “takes into consideration these clear trends in the non-weather sensitive winter or base load and the weather sensitive summer or ‘weather load’.” Guastella PFT, p. 16. Under the Base Load Methodology, the Company adjusted pro forma revenues at present rates for weather normalization purposes by a net reduction of $1,052,387.
     The OCC, the AG and PRO all argued that the calculation of a weather normalization adjustment using the Base Load Methodology is inconsistent with past Department precedence. OCC Brief, p. 58; AG Brief, p. 4; and PRO Reply Brief, p. 4. The OCC further contended that this methodology is additionally flawed in that it fails to also normalize consumption by the non-residential classes. OCC Brief, p. 59. Therefore, the OCC, the AG and PRO conclude that revenues are significantly understated. OCC Brief, p. 61; AG Brief, p. 4; and PRO Reply Brief, p. 4.

 


 

Docket No. 06-07-08   Page 8
     As a result of negotiations between the Settling Parties on this issue, the amended Settlement Agreement reflects an increase of $326,429 to pro forma revenues at present rates. Amended Settlement Agreement, p. 2; and Tr. 12/14/06, pp. 1654-1655, 1656. This adjustment represents the portion of pro forma annual revenues at present rates that the Settlement Parties agreed is associated with weather normalization and, therefore, should be included. Tr. 12/14/06, p. 1654. Accordingly, pro forma revenues at present rates amount to $49,061,970 [$48,735,541 + $326,429] under the amended Settlement Agreement. Amended Settlement Agreement, p. 2.
     The amended Settlement Agreement negotiated a rate increase of $10,940,821. The Settling Parties arrived at this amount by reducing the proposed rate increase of $14,985,339, as stated in Late Filed Exhibit 18, by a net adjustment of $4,044,518, as negotiated by the Settling Parties. Amended Settlement Agreement, p. 2. Without regard to the proposal to phase-in the rate increase in two phases, the $10,940,821 represents an increase of 22.3% over pro forma revenues at current rates of $49,061,970.
     The Department has reviewed the level of pro forma revenues sought in the amended Settlement Agreement. The Department finds that, on balance, the $10,940,821 in pro forma annual revenues at present rates used in the amended Settlement Agreement are reasonable and acceptable for purposes of the Settlement Agreement.
     The Department’s approval of the level of pro forma revenues sought in the amended Settlement Agreement should not be construed as being favorable to the use of the proposed Base Load Methodology to determine an adjustment to reflect weather normalization. Rather, it simply acknowledges that the Settling Parties have agreed upon a reasonable and acceptable weather normalization adjustment as a result of their negotiations.
     2. Phase I Revenues
     The amended Settlement Agreement proposes to phase-in the rate increase over a 15-month period. Phase I of the phased-in rate increase would result in an increase of $7,117,772, or 14.5%, over pro forma revenues at present rates. Amended Settlement Agreement, p. 2. Therefore, total allowed annual revenues as a result of Phase I would amount to $56,179,742 [$49,061,970 + $7,117,772]. The amended Settlement Agreement stipulates that the proposed rate schedules designed to generate this additional revenue will become effective for service rendered on and after January 1, 2007. Id.
     3. Phase II Revenues
     Phase II of the phased-in rate increase is an additional increase of $3,823,049, which is 6.8% of the 2007 allowed revenues. Amended Settlement Agreement, p. 2. In addition, Phase II includes the amortization of the regulatory asset created by the deferral of $318,580 in revenue per month from January 2007 through and including March 2008, which represents the portion of the phased-in rate increase that is being deferred for 15 months.

 


 

Docket No. 06-07-08   Page 9
     4. 2008 Limited Reopener
     The amended Settlement Agreement allows for CWC to file a request for a limited reopening of the instant docket on or about January 30, 2008 (2008 Limited Reopener). The purpose of the 2008 Limited Reopener would be restricted to the consideration of a further adjustment to annual revenues for increases in rate base related to additional plant funded by the Company and placed in service by the end of 2007. The amended Settlement Agreement notes that the total amount of the increases in rate base cannot exceed $15.5 million. Id., p. 2. Furthermore, that amount to be considered would be less the 2007 increment to accumulated depreciation, and the additional deferred taxes related to liberalized depreciation by the end of 2007. Id., pp. 2-3.
C. Rate Design
     1. Existing Rate Structures
          a. General
     CWC was last granted a rate increase by Decision dated March 27, 1991, in Docket No. 90-06-24, The Connecticut Water Company — Application for Rate Increase for All of its Customers (1991 CWC Rate Case Decision). Since that Decision, the Company has acquired a number of other water companies that were subsequently merged with and into the Company. For the most part, the then-existing rate schedules of those companies were inherited by the Company and have largely remained in use in the respective service areas of the former companies. At present, most of the Company’s customers are billed according to four separate rate schedules. These rate schedules are applied according to the Company’s four divisions: the CWC Division, the Crystal Division, the Gallup Division and the Unionville Division. The current service areas for these divisions are essentially the same service areas of CWC, The Crystal Water Company of Danielson, The Gallup Water Service, Inc., and The Unionville Water Company prior to two merger Decisions recently rendered that ultimately resulted in the merger of these entities with and into CWC.
     As previously described in Section II.B.1, above, CWC is also organized into five regions: Shoreline, Naugatuck, Northern, Unionville and Crystal. The CWC Division’s rate schedule applies to customers in the Shoreline, Naugatuck and Northern Regions. The Unionville Division’s rate schedule applies solely to customers in the Unionville Region. The Crystal Region contains both the Crystal Division and the Gallup Division, each according to its own separate rate schedule.
          b. CWC Division Rate Schedule
     Except for 924 seasonal customers on the Sound View system in the Shoreline Region, the Company bills customers in the CWC Division on a metered basis. Application, Schedule E-1.0; and Late Filed Exhibit No. 17.1. These customers are billed a meter service charge according to meter size, and a commodity charge based on a four-block rate structure. Response to Interrogatory WA-85; Revised Exhibit WA-85.1. The seasonal customers are billed a flat rate per season for each premise. Id.

 


 

Docket No. 06-07-08   Page 10
     The CWC Division rate schedule also incorporated the rate schedules of the former Masons Island Company Water Supply (Masons Island), SDC Water Company (SDC) and Bay Mountain Water Company (Bay Mountain). These systems were acquired by the Company by Decisions dated October 15, 1997, Docket No. 97-02-02, Application of the Connecticut Water Company to Purchase the Assets of Bay Mountain Water and SDC Water Company and for Country Squire Company to Purchase the Assets of the Country Squire Water Company, and February 25, 1998, in Docket No. 97-09-43, Application of The Connecticut Water Company for Approval of Sale of Assets of the Masons Island Water Company Water System to the Connecticut Water Company. Customers on the systems of these acquired companies have continued to be billed according to the respective rate schedules of these companies. All customers on the Bay Mountain system and the SDC system are billed according to a single meter service charge and a one-block commodity charge that was approved for their respective former company. All customers on the Masons Island system are billed a meter service charge depending on whether they have a 5/8-inch or a 1-inch meter, and a commodity charge based on two-block declining rate structure. Id.
     Private fire protection customers are billed quarterly based on the size of their service connection. Public fire protection customers are billed monthly based on a hydrant charge and an inch-foot charge. No private or public fire protection charges have been approved for the Masons Island, Bay Mountain and SDC systems. Id.
          c. Crystal Division and Gallup Division Rate Schedules
     CWC acquired both Gallup and Crystal in 1999.2 However, both companies remained subsidiaries of the Company and retained their respective rate schedules. By Decisions dated April 27, 2005, in Docket No. 05-01-14, Joint Application of The Gallup Water Service, Incorporated and The Crystal Water Company of Danielson to Merge The Gallup Water Service, Incorporated with The Crystal Water Company of Danielson (2005 Crystal/Gallup Merger Decision), and April 20, 2006, in Docket No. 06-02-02, Joint Application of The Crystal Water Company of Danielson, The Unionville Water Company and The Connecticut Water Company to Merge The Crystal Water Company of Danielson and The Unionville Water Company with and into The Connecticut Water Company (2006 Crystal/Unionville/CWC Merger Decision), both companies were ultimately merged with and into CWC. Although currently operated as the Crystal Region, the service areas of Gallup and Crystal are separately identified as the Gallup Division and the Crystal Division to reflect that each division still has its own rate schedule. Subsequent to the 2005 Crystal/Gallup Merger Decision, the Department had approved a 21.35% across-the-board rate increase for these two divisions by Decision dated December 28, 2005, in Docket No. 05-07-08, Application of Crystal Water Company of Danielson to Amend Rate Schedules (2005 Crystal Rate Case Decision).
 
2   Decision dated April 7, 1999, in Docket No. 98-11-03, Application of the Connecticut Water Service, Inc. for Approval to Own Common Stock of Gallup Water Service, Inc. (1999 Gallup Acquisition Decision); and Decision dated August 4, 1999, in Docket No. 99-03-23, Application of Connecticut Water Services Inc. for Approval to Own Common Stock of Crystal Water Utilities Corporation (1999 Crystal Acquisition Decision).

 


 

Docket No. 06-07-08   Page 11
     Customers of both divisions are billed a meter service charge according to meter size. The Gallup Division has a single commodity rate block applicable to all customer classes, whereas the Crystal Division has a single commodity rate block for all residential consumption but a two-block declining rate structure for each non-residential class (i.e., commercial, industrial and public authority). Id. Also, as a result of Gallup’s acquisition of Brookside Water Company in 1993, the Gallup Division’s rate schedule includes a separate meter service charge only applicable to customers of the Brookside system.3
     Private fire protection customers in both divisions are billed based on the size of their service connection. In the Crystal Division, public fire protection customers are billed quarterly based on a hydrant charge and an inch-foot charge for pipe sized six inches or more in diameter. The inch-foot charge for the Crystal Division’s Plainfield system remains significantly lower than the inch-foot charge for the rest of that division. In the Gallup Division, public fire protection customers are billed quarterly based on hydrant charge and inch-foot charge. Response to Interrogatory WA-85; Revised Exhibit WA-85.1.
          d. Unionville Division Rate Schedule
     The Company acquired Unionville by Decision dated October 23, 2002, in Docket No. 02-04-27, Joint Application of The Connecticut Water Service, Inc. and The Unionville Water Company for Approval of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. to Acquire All the Common Stock of Unionville Water Company (2002 Unionville Acquisition Decision). The Company bills customers of the Unionville Division a meter service charge according to meter size, and a commodity charge based on a three-block declining rate structure. Id.
     In Docket No. 02-04-27, the Parties to that proceeding reached a Settlement Agreement that would have resulted in a 30% across-the-board increase to Unionville’s rates and charges. The 30% increase is to cover the costs of an interconnection with the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC). As a condition of the 2002 Unionville Acquisition Decision, the Department required that the rate increase instead be reflected on customers’ bills as a surcharge that will be subject to a retroactive refund to ratepayers to the extent that Unionville’s total revenues exceed certain levels. 2002 Unionville Acquisition Decision, p. 8. The 30% surcharge went into effect in May 2003, the in-service date of the interconnection with the MDC.
     Private fire protection customers are billed based on the size of their service connection. Public fire protection customers are billed quarterly based on a hydrant charge and inch-foot charge for pipes sized six inches or more in diameter. Fire protection charges are also subject to the 30% surcharge. Response to Interrogatory WA-85; Revised Exhibit WA-85.1.
 
3   Decision dated September 1, 1993, in Docket No. 92-12-07, Application of the Merger of Brookside Water Company into The Gallup Water Service, Inc.

 


 

Docket No. 06-07-08   Page 12
          e. Other Rate Schedules by Contract
     In the Naugatuck Region, the Company currently serves approximately 348 residential customers, 4 commercial customers and 6 public authority customers in the Town of Middlebury (Middlebury). By Decision dated April 8, 2001, in Docket No. 01-04-21, Application of the Connecticut Water Company for Approval of a Special Main Extension Agreement with the Town of Middlebury (2001 CWC/Middlebury Agreement Decision), CWC and Middlebury entered into a special contract that extended Middlebury’s distribution system and interconnected it with the Company’s Naugatuck system (Middlebury-Heritage system). The Middlebury-Heritage system had its own existing schedule of fees and charges, which the Company retained as a result of that Decision. The Company bills the customers of the Middlebury-Heritage system a meter service charge according to meter size and a commodity charge based on a two-block inclining rate structure. Response to Interrogatory WA-85; Revised Exhibit WA-85.1. Middlebury-Heritage’s fire protection customers are currently billed monthly based on a hydrant charge and inch-foot charge. Id.
     In accordance with Agreement No. 4.06-04(84) dated July 18, 1984, entered into by CWC and the Department of Transportation of the State of Connecticut, the Company supplies water to Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut (Bradley). Response to Interrogatory WA-86, and Exhibit WA-86-2, p. 1. The Bradley system serves no residential customers, just commercial and public authority customers. As a result of the Agreement, customers on the Bradley system are billed according to a schedule of fees and charges at 60% of CWC’s current rates. Response to Interrogatory WA-85; Revised Exhibit WA-85.1.
     2. Cost of Service Study
     The Company performed a pro forma company-wide cost of service study for use in determining its revenue allocation and rate design proposals. Guastella PFT, Exhibit JFG-1. The pro forma cost of service study is based on the Base-Extra Capacity method, which identifies and classifies the various cost components comprising the revenue requirement and allocates the functionalized costs among the customer classes. It also incorporates a fire service cost allocation within the format of the study. Guastella PFT, p. 4.
     To perform the study, CWC’s investment in plant was analyzed by account and the facilities in the account were assigned a design function. The functions used are: base, extra capacity maximum day, extra capacity peak hour, and customer. Under the Base-Extra Capacity method, base costs include costs that relate to the average use of water. As some facilities are sized for just the maximum day and the peak hour, some costs are allocated on that basis. This method also recognizes that some of the facilities that are used for base service are also used on the maximum day and peak hour. Thus, this method also allocates some costs on a combination of uses. In the end, there’s an array of allocations of costs based on their design and how they are used by the Company’s customers. Guastella PFT, pp. 4-5; and Tr. 10/03/06, pp. 368-369. This method of performing cost of service is the predominant method for allocating costs in the water industry. Tr. 10/03/06, p. 372.

 


 

Docket No. 06-07-08   Page 13
     3. Proposed Rate Design and Single Tariff Pricing
     The amended Settlement Agreement stipulates that meter service charges, commodity charges and fire protection charges would be based upon the rate design set forth in Late Filed Exhibit No. 18. These charges would be adjusted pro rata across-the-board to reflect the 14.5% increase in Phase I and the resulting increase in Phase II. Amended Settlement Agreement, p. 4.
     The rate design presented in Late Filed Exhibit No. 18 stays reasonably close to what the Company initially proposed in the Application. The Company’s rate design was done in a two-step process. First, the costs associated with meters and services, less the portion allocated to fire service, were divided by the number of connections to develop the annual customer or service charge to the smallest meter size, the 5/8-inch meter. Monthly and quarterly rates for a 5/8-inch meter are calculated by dividing the annual rate by 2 or 4, respectively. The rates for larger meter sizes were developed by taking the service charge for the 5/8-inch meter and multiplying it by a meter capacity ratio (i.e., a multiplier which recognizes that the amount of water able to flow through a meter differs by the size of the meter). The seasonal customers are billed three times but only once for the service charge, which is priced at the annual level because the customer costs are essentially the same as for year-round customers.
     Once the service charges are calculated and applied to the billing units from the pro forma billing analysis for each class of customer, the revenues to be derived from the service charges are subtracted from the total revenues allocated to each customer class, and the balance is then divided by the consumption for each class of customer in order to determine the designed rate per thousand gallons for each class of customer.
     The Company states that the resulting rate structure is easier to understand and easier for billing purposes, and also promotes conservation while remaining cost justified. Guastella PFT, pp. 8-9.
     With its proposed rate design, CWC makes a move toward single tariff pricing to eventually equalize the rates paid by all of its customers. Guastella PFT, p. 3; Exhibit JFG-1, Schedule 19; and Response to Interrogatory WA-81. The proposed move is based on the pro forma company-wide cost of service study. Guastella PFT, Exhibit JFG-1. Based upon on the rate schedules filed in the original Application, roughly 89% of CWC’s proposed revenues would be generated under its proposed single-tariff pricing. Response to Interrogatory WA-81.
     As a general policy approach, rate reductions were avoided but not necessarily without exception. Guastella PFT, p. 13; and Response to Interrogatory WA-81. More importantly, limitations were set on the rate increases for some divisions to lessen rate impacts. Relative to the rate design proposed in the original Application, rates for the Crystal and Gallup Divisions were restricted to an overall 25% increase; the Unionville Division’s rates were limited to a 30% overall increase in addition to the 30% surcharge that is now in effect. Also, as required by contract or agreement, the rate increase for customers of the Bradley system was restricted to reflect rates that are 60% of CWC’s rates, whereas the rate increase to customers of the Middlebury-Heritage system was limited to the overall increase. Guastella PFT, p. 13. The proposed rate design makes a significant move towards single tariff pricing; however the gains made by the proposed rate design are hampered to some extent by the imposed limitations. The following list details what is accomplished by the proposed rate design:

 


 

Docket No. 06-07-08   Page 14
    Meter service charges are the same for all divisions except for the Bradley and Middlebury-Heritage systems, due to contract provisions;
 
    Commodity charges are uniform in terms of having separate rates for each customer class, except where limited by contract provisions or percentage increases;
 
    Public fire protection charges for hydrant fees and the newly proposed linear feet charges, reflect single tariff pricing for all divisions except for the Crystal Division and the Bradley system;
 
    Private fire protection service charges reflect single tariff pricing for all divisions except for the Crystal and Gallup Divisions, due to the general policy approach to avoid rate reductions; and
 
    Seasonal usage rates reflect single tariff pricing; however, there remains a difference in seasonal service charges for the customers of the Masons Island system and all other CWC Division systems because of a policy decision to avoid rate decreases.
Response to Interrogatory WA-81.
     4. Fire Protection Service
     In its Application, the Company proposes to change the manner in which it charges municipalities for public fire protection from an inch-foot charge to a linear-foot charge. Exhibit JFG-1, Schedule 16. The Company believes that a more accurate way for it to charge for public fire service is to use a linear-foot charge. Unlike inch-foot charges, a linear-foot charge is not affected by whether a water main is sized to transmit water to a neighboring town. Tr. 10/03/06, pp. 475-476. In its presentation, the Company stated that the inch-foot quantities have become less accurate for allocating public fire capacity costs to the various municipalities. Because water mains have been sized to transmit water across municipal bounds in order to meet demands of customers in other areas, the inch-feet in any one municipality no longer reflects the flow capacity needed only by that particular municipality. Accordingly, the allocation of inch-feet to and from municipalities has become more complex, burdensome and less meaningful as a measure of allocating relative fire service capacity costs. In order to mitigate the problem, a rate per linear-foot is being recommended as a reasonable alternative. Guastella PFT, p. 10.
     As the case progressed, the Company noticed one aberration in the proposed linear-foot charge. Compared to the inch-foot charge, the linear-foot charge obviously reduces bills for customers with larger-than-average mains and increases them for customers with smaller-than average mains. One area in which this shift would have resulted in disruptive rate increases was the private right-of-way fire protection customers. Typically a condominium association or a commercial shopping center, these customers often have small (approximately, 6-inch) mains that they paid for via a customer contribution. The modified rates in Exhibit JFG-1 (October 25, 2006 supplement) address this concern by creating a modified linear-foot charge for these customers.

 


 

     
Docket No. 06-07-08
  Page 15
     The proposal for the change in rate design for fire protection service is also reasonable as it more properly aligns the charges with the service being provided while also mitigating adverse rate impacts.
     5. Proposed Uniform Schedule of Special Charges
     Each of the Company’s major divisions (CWC, Crystal and Unionville) currently uses its own schedule of special charges that differs from the other divisions’ in terms of the types of services and customer-caused charges billed for and their corresponding rate levels. (Although the Crystal Division and the Gallup Division currently have separate schedules for meter service charges, commodity charges and fire protection charges, they share a common schedule of special charges as a result of the 2005 Crystal Rate Case Decision.) The customers of the Middlebury-Heritage system are also billed according to its own schedule. In addition, two systems (SDC and Bay Mountain) were allowed to preserve their respective fees for disconnection, reconnection and late payment when they were acquired by CWC. Furthermore, customers of the Masons Island and Bradley Airport systems are currently not subject to any special charges.
     In this proceeding, the Company proposes to consolidate these various schedules into a uniform schedule of special charges for use across all of its divisions. As a result of this consolidation, the Company found a number of existing charges that it proposes to eliminate: the meter installation fee and the service call fee in the CWC Division; the meter storage charge and the collection charge in the Unionville Division; and the backflow preventer test charge and the hydrant test charge in the Crystal and Gallup Divisions. The proposed uniform schedule of special charges also seeks to introduce several new charges: an unauthorized hydrant use fee, an unauthorized water use fee, charges for curb box repairs, and a cross connection second notice fee.


 

 

     
Docket No. 06-07-08
  Page 16
     The proposed schedule of special charges is as follows:
Proposed Schedule of Special Charges4
         
    Proposed Rate
Service Turn On/Off and Meter Charges
       
Service turn off (normal hours)
  $ 40  
Service turn off (after hours)
  $ 60  
Service turn on (normal hours)
  $ 40  
Service turn on (after hours)
  $ 60  
Service turn on — large meter > 2” (normal hours)
  $ 40  
Service turn on — large meter > 2” (after hours)
  $ 60  
Service turn on at curb (normal hours)
  $ 40  
Service turn on at curb (after hours)
  $ 60  
Service turn on — seasonal activation
  $ 20  
Frozen meter charge
  $ 50  
Frozen meter charge (after hours)
  $ 75  
 
       
Miscellaneous Fees and Charges
       
Bulk water account activation
  $ 50  
Bulk water commodity charge
  commercial metered rate
Unauthorized hydrant use
  $ 200  
Unauthorized water use
  $ 200  
Curb box repairs — equipment required
  $ 300  
Curb box repairs — hand dug
  $ 100  
Cross connection notice fee
  $ 40  
 
       
Collection Fees
       
Returned check fee
  $ 30  
Late payment fee
  1.5%/month
     The Department has reviewed the uniform schedule of special charges proposed by the Company. Of the six special charges being eliminated, the Department finds that five are redundant in light of other special charges, fire protection charges and jobbing fees. As for the collection fee, its elimination is prompted by Company policy. Therefore, the Department finds the elimination of these six charges to be acceptable as proposed. Relative to the new special charges the Company proposed to introduce, the Department finds them to be acceptable for use. As for the remainder of the proposed uniform schedule, the Department finds the proposed charges to be reasonable.
 
4   Exhibit MPW-3.


 

 

     
Docket No. 06-07-08
  Page 17
     6. Rate Design Pursuant to Amended Settlement Agreement
     The Company submitted the rates schedules proposed for Phase I. December 7, 2006 Filing, Revised Exhibit E.1.0. These rate schedules are attached hereto as Appendix B. The amended Settlement Agreement stipulates that the above schedule of special charges would be implemented on January 1, 2007, and would not be further adjusted until April 1, 2008. Amended Settlement Agreement, p. 4. The Department believes that, within the context of the amended Settlement Agreement, the rate schedules proposed for Phase I are reasonable and acceptable.
     7. South Coventry Water Company
     South Coventry’s schedule of approved rates and charges consists of a single meter service charge for all meter sizes, a single block commodity rate for residential customers, a two-block declining commodity rate structure for non-residential customers, and four miscellaneous service charges (i.e., late payment charge, bad check charge, termination charge and reconnection charge). This schedule was most recently amended by Decision dated September 29, 2004, in Docket No. 04-06-20, Application of South Coventry Water Supply Company for a Rate Increase (South Coventry Rate Case Decision).
     By Decision dated September 20, 2006, in Docket No. 06-06-21, Application of Connecticut Water Service, Inc., The Connecticut Water Company & South Coventry Water Supply Company, Inc. for a Change of Control of South Coventry Water and Its Merger with and Into The Connecticut Water Company, the Department approved the merger of South Coventry with and into CWC. As a result of that Decision, South Coventry’s rate schedule remains intact and, therefore, does not affect this Application. However, for the purposes of presenting the Company’s approved rates in their entirety, the rate schedule approved in the South Coventry Rate Case Decision is also included in Appendix A, below.
D. Return on Equity
     The amended Settlement Agreement provides CWC with a 10.125% allowed return on equity (ROE). The ROE allowed by the amended Settlement Agreement is below the 11.25% allowed ROE originally requested by the Company but is greater than the 9% allowed ROE recommended by the OCC during the proceeding. Tr. 12/14/06, pp. 1713-1716. The amended Settlement Agreement also incorporates CWC’s proposed capital structure that consists of Long-term Debt, Common Equity and a Short-term Debt Equivalent which was incorporated to balance the proposed ratemaking capitalization with the proposed ratemaking rate base. The amended Settlement Agreement results in an allowed return on rate base of 8.07%. Amended Settlement Agreement, Attachment C. The amended Settlement Agreement provides the following capitalization and average cost of capital computation:


 

 

     
Docket No. 06-07-08
  Page 18
                                 
Class of Capital   Amount ($)     % of Total     Cost     Weighted Cost  
Short-term Debt Equivalent
  $ 14,457,255       8.24 %     5.62 %     0.46 %
Long-term Debt
    69,911,052       39.84 %     5.89 %     2.35 %
Common Equity
  $ 91,101,888       51.92 %     10.125 %     5.26 %
 
                       
Total
  $ 175,470,195       100.00 %           8.07 %
 
                       
Amended Settlement Agreement, Attachment C.
     The Department has reviewed the 10.125% ROE that the Settling Parties have incorporated into the amended Settlement Agreement and finds it acceptable. The Department finds the Settling Parties proposal to incorporate the Short-term Debt Equivalent to be somewhat out of the range of the Department’s normal practice, but will make no further conclusions to either the acceptability or reasonableness of this concept for future ratemaking precedent. Since the amended Settlement Agreement represents the outcome of the Settling Parties’ give and take during negotiations, the Department has not attempted to make any further conclusions regarding the amended Settlement Agreement’s proposed ratemaking capital structure or rates of return.
E. Accounting Issues
     The amended Settlement Agreement obviated the need to address accounting issues going forward. Depreciation rates, amortization amounts and amortization periods are addressed in the amended Settlement Agreement. Other accounting issues were not specifically addressed. The approval of the amended Settlement Agreement does not reflect approval of any specific accounting practice presented by the Company in its original Application.
F. Customer Service Issues
     1. Proposed Rules and Regulations
     At present, CWC, Crystal and Unionville operate under separately approved rules and regulations. For consistency, the Company proposes a uniform set of Rules and Regulations for use in all divisions. Westbrook PFT, pp. 5-6; and Schedule H-2.0(f). The proposed Rules and Regulations are based primarily on CWC’s current Rules and Regulations, which were approved by the Department in February 2001. Westbrook PFT, p. 5. The proposed Rules and Regulations reflect: (a) revisions to update certain sections according to current practices and regulatory requirements; (b) the reordering, rearrangement and renumbering of several items for the purposes of clarification; and (c) changes that would facilitate ease of understanding by customers and by employees who must interpret and apply these rules. Id. The Department has reviewed the proposed Rules and Regulations and hereby finds them generally acceptable for use on a company-wide basis, with one exception, as discussed below.
     The Company’s proposed Rules and Regulations include a new section that would allow for the Company to designate certain year-round accounts as seasonal. Specifically, Section IV(e) states, “The Company may require that a premise be designated as a seasonal account, even if the property is approved for year-round use, if the customer requests that service be


 

 

     
Docket No. 06-07-08
  Page 19
suspended during the winter months more than two times.” Schedule H-2.0(f), Proposed Rules and Regulations, p. 6. The Company states that its request to designate certain year-round accounts as seasonal is driven by its labor costs. Tr. 9/27/06, p. 24. The Company explained that to make the service available on a seasonal basis, it has to be turned on and off every season, unlike regular customers who are turned on once and might be there for years without having to have a service call. If a year-round customer repeatedly requests service to be turned on and turned off, the costs to the Company are not covered in year-round residential rates. Tr. 9/27/06, pp. 24-25.
     The Company’s CWC Division currently only has fees for turning services on, but not for turning services off. However, the Company’s proposed schedule of special charges for use in all divisions includes separate fees for service termination and service reconnection. Exhibit MPW-3. These two charges should allow the Company to recover any labor costs not covered by the meter service charge and the commodity charge directly from the customers who voluntarily request abbreviated service. Therefore, Section IV(e) is unnecessary and should be removed.
     The Department notes that Section D.3 of the amended Settlement Agreement states, “Rules and regulations governing customer service and related items will include all changes requested by Department staff during the public hearings.” (Emphasis added.) Although the removal of Section IV(e) from the Company’s proposed Rules and Regulations was not formally requested by the Department during the hearing, the Company indicated that it would be open to further revision by the Department. Accordingly, the Company will be ordered to submit for the Department’s review and approval, amended Rules and Regulations that eliminates that section.
     2. Customer Service
     The Company has seven staff positions and one floater position at the Central Call Center to handle calls to its 1-800 customer service number from all of its regions. Response to Interrogatory CA-04. In addition, the Company continues to staff regional offices with local contacts that are familiar with their service areas. Between the Shoreline, Naugatuck, Northern, Crystal, and Unionville regional offices, the Company has a total of 11 customer service staff positions and one floater position to handle walk-in customers for payments and inquiries, process customer service related work orders (e.g., as meter exchanges, estimated bills, account transfers), and provide radio dispatch and field personnel support. Id. The Company’s floater positions provide additional coverage and support in the event of vacations, absences and other fluctuations in available staff. Id.
     The Company strives to maintain an annual goal of less than 5% of all incoming phone calls being abandoned by customers. The Department’s review of certain statistics from its phone call management system for the 12-month period from August 2005 to July 2006, finds that the Company has met this goal in eight of the 12 months. Response to Interrogatory CA-05. The Company does not have a goal for reducing call hold times experienced by customers. Although its phone call management system compiles statistics for average call time, it does not report hold times. The Company is, however, aware that excessive hold times may lead customers to abandon calls before they can be assisted. Id.


 

 

     
Docket No. 06-07-08
  Page 20
     Since 1993, the Department has issued an annual Customer Complaint (Scorecard) that compares the number of customers’ complaints regarding high bills, billing disputes, terminations of service, payment arrangements, quality of service and outages that the Department’s Consumer Assistance and Information Unit receives. The most recent Scorecard was issued in February 2006 for calendar year 2005. The Department’s review of its Scorecard for 2005 shows that the Department has received no complaints that involved the inability of a customer to get through to the Company’s call center or being left on hold for excessive lengths of time.
     The Department commends the Company for the initiatives it has implemented since its last rate case Decision in 1991 and its commitment to quality customer service. Relative to abandoned calls and hold times, the Department expects that the Company will endeavor to further achieve its goal of reducing abandoned calls and consider some means to monitor and address customer hold times.
     3. Bill Statement
     In the 2005 Crystal Rate Case Decision, the Department directed Crystal to show service charges and commodity charges separately on its customers’ bill statements. At present, CWC’s bill statement does not separate these charges. Response to Interrogatory CA-02.
     In light of the above, the Company proposes to modify its bill statement to show these charges separately for all customers of CWC and its operating divisions. Id. Accordingly, the Department will order the Company to file a revised bill statement for the Department’s approval at least 10 days before its implementation.
     4. Certification Form of Serious Illness or Life Threatening Situation
     The Company was asked how it handles a customer who claims to have a serious illness or a life threatening situation when a serviceman is at his home to terminate service. The Company noted that such customers have 13 days prior to the termination date to provide a doctor’s note attesting to a serious illness or a life threatening situation. The Company hopes that such customers would make use of this timeframe to either provide the appropriate documentation or make payment arrangements. Tr. 9/27/06, pp. 20-21. In the event that such a customer has taken neither action by the time the Company intends to terminate service, the Company testified that it contacts the customer’s doctor.
     Conn. State Agencies Regs. § 16-3-100(e)(2) makes reference to a certification form that each utility company should provide to a customer’s doctor when initial certification of serious illness or life threatening situation done over the phone:
A registered physician’s certification of serious illness or life threatening situation shall be sufficient if initially made by telephone, subject to the right of the utility company to confirm the validity of the physician’s call. If the certification is made by telephone, the utility company shall send to the physician a copy of its certification form, and the certifying physician shall complete and return the certification form to the company no later than seven days after receipt of such form. All certification forms shall contain information required by the


 

 

     
Docket No. 06-07-08
  Page 21
department, including but not limited to the following: (A) The name and address of the patient, (B) whether the condition is a serious illness or a life threatening situation, (C) the length of the serious illness or life threatening situation, and (D) the certifying physician’s office address and telephone number.
     Accordingly, the Department directs the Company to develop such a form and file it with the Department for its approval.
III. FINDINGS OF FACT
1.   In its Application, the Company originally proposed a revenue increase of $14,629,664.
 
2.   In Late Filed Exhibit No. 18, the Company sought a revised revenue increase of $14,985,339.
 
3.   The Settling Parties executed a Settlement Agreement on December 4, 2006.
 
4.   An amended Settlement Agreement was filed on December 20, 2006.
 
5.   The amended Settlement Agreement reduced the revenue increase to $10,940,821.
 
6.   The amended Settlement Agreement provides for a limited reopening of this proceeding for revenue requirements related to increases in rate base arising from additional plant funded by the Company and placed in service on or before December 31, 2007.
 
7.   The amended Settlement Agreement increases the Company’s pro forma revenues at present rates of $48,735,541 by a net adjustment of $326,429.
 
8.   For the purposes of the amended Settlement Agreement, pro forma revenues at present rates are $49,061,970.
 
9.   Phase I allows for an increase in total annual revenues of $7,117,772.
 
10.   Total allowed annual revenues as a result of Phase I would amount to $56,179,742.
 
11.   The amended Settlement Agreement negotiated an allowed return on equity of 10.125%.
 
12.   The amended Settlement Agreement results in an allowed return on rate base of 8.07%.
 
13.   The Company’s Rules and Regulations include a new policy that allows it to designate certain year round services as seasonal.
 
14.   The Crystal Division is the only division that currently issues bill statements that separate the meter service charge from the commodity charge.
 
15.   The Company intends to submit a revised bill statement, similar to on currently used in the Crystal Region, for use on a company-wide basis.


 

 

     
Docket No. 06-07-08
  Page 22
16.   The Company does not currently have a standard medical certification form available for use when a customer claims a serious illness or a life threatening situation.
 
IV.   CONCLUSION AND ORDERS
A. Conclusion
     Based on the foregoing, the requested increase in annual revenues and the proposed rate schedules filed in CWC’s Application are hereby denied. The Department concludes that the amended Settlement Agreement is in the public interest and is supported by evidence in the record. Therefore, the Department adopts the amended Settlement Agreement as part of the Decision in this matter. In this first phase, total annual revenues of $56,179,742 and the proposed rates set forth in Revised Schedule E.1.0 and Schedule of Special Charges dated December 7, 2006, are hereby approved subject to the Company’s compliance with the Orders listed below.
     For a residential customer on a 5/8-inch meter with typical quarterly usage of 18,000 gallons, his quarterly bill would increase (decrease) from $108.17 to 124.55 in the CWC Main Division, from $119.97 to 114.06 in the Gallup Division, from $89.43 to $96.74 in the Crystal Division, and from $78.24 (surcharge included) to $76.99 in the Unionville Division.5
B. Orders
1.   On or before January 31, 2007, the Company shall submit to the Department under its own letterhead or official tariff designation the approved rates and special service charges to be rendered on and after January 1, 2007, as prescribed in Appendix A attached hereto.
2.   On or before February 7, 2007, the Company shall file for the Department’s review and approval a medical certification form in conformance with to Conn. Agencies Regs. § 16-3-100(e)(2).
3.   On or before January 31, 2007, the Company shall file for the Department’s review and approval an amended copy of its Rules and Regulations in accordance with Section II.F.1, above.
4.   On or before January 24, 2007, the Company shall file a revised bill statement that separates the meter service charge from the commodity charge. Said revised bill statement shall be filed with the Department for its review and approval at least 10 days prior to implementation on a company-wide basis.
 
5   Usage in the Unionville Division is currently billed in cubic feet, but will be billed in gallons as a result of this proceeding. Typical residential usage of 18,000 gallons per quarter is comparable to 2,400 cubic feet.


 

 

APPENDIX A: SCHEDULE OF APPROVED RATES AND CHARGES
CONNECTICUT WATER COMPANY
SCHEDULE OF APPROVED RATES AND CHARGES

(Effective January 1, 2007)
CONNECTICUT WATER DIVISION
Year-Round Meter Service Charges
                 
Meter Size   Monthly Charge   Quarterly Charge
5/8
  $ 7.44     $ 22.31  
3/4
    11.15       33.46  
1”
    18.59       55.76  
11/2
    37.18       111.54  
2”
    59.48       178.45  
3”
    111.54       334.60  
4”
    185.89       557.66  
6”
    371.77       1,115.32  
8”
    594.84       1,784.50  
10”
    892.80       2,677.20  
Year-Round Water Commodity Charges
             
Customer Class       Charge per 1,000 Gallons
Residential
  All consumption   $ 5.680  
Commercial
  All consumption     4.971  
Industrial
  All consumption     4.228  
Public Authority
  All consumption     4.662  
Seasonal Meter Service Charges
         
Meter Size   Per Season  
5/8
  $ 89.28  
3/4
    133.81  
1”
    223.09  
11/2
    446.18  
2”
    713.60  
3”
    1,339.20  
4”
    2,232.00  
Seasonal Water Commodity Charges
         
Charge per Thousand Gallons
  $ 11.670  
Charge per Hundred Cubic Feet
    8.729  


 

 

CONNECTICUT WATER DIVISION (continued)
Private Fire Protection Charges
         
Service Connection Size
  Per Quarter
2”
  $ 32.41 each
3”
    73.08 each
4”
    101.64 each
6”
    238.57 each
8”
    421.66 each
10”
    650.90 each
12”
    926.30 each
 
       
Private Rights of Ways
       
Hydrant Charge (per quarter)
  $ 45.82 each
Linear-Foot Charge (per month)
  $ 0.06189  
 
       
Public Fire Protection Charges
       
 
       
Hydrant Charge (per quarter)
  $ 45.82 each
Linear-Foot Charge (per month)
  $ 0.07737  
Linear-Foot Charge — Bradley Field (per month)
  $ 0.04642  
Bradley Field
60% of Regular Connecticut Water Division Rates

 


 

MIDDLEBURY-HERITAGE SYSTEM
Meter Service Charges
         
Meter Size   Quarterly Charge
5/8
  $ 11.29  
3/4
    16.93  
1”
    39.51  
11/2
    129.83  
2”
    169.35  
3”
    338.70  
4”
    564.49  
6”
    1,128.97  
8”
    1,806.40  
10”
    2,596.70  
12”
    3,274.10  
Water Commodity Charges
             
        Quarterly Charge
Customer Class   Quarterly   Charge per 1,000 Gallons
All Customer Classes
  First 50,000 gallons   $ 4.290  
 
  Over 50,000 gallons     5.645  
Water Rates for Middlebury Terrace Well System Users (Flat Rate)
      
All Quantities of Water Used   $106.00 per residence
Public Fire Protection Charges
      
Hydrant Charge (per quarter)   45.82 per hydrant
Linear-Foot Charge (per month)   0.07737
BAY MOUNTAIN SYSTEM and SDC SYSTEM
Meter Service Charge
         
Meter Size   Quarterly Charge
5/8
  $ 22.31  
Water Commodity Charge
                 
Customer Class           Charge per 1,000 Gallons
Residential
  All consumption   $ 5.097  

 


 

MASONS ISLAND SYSTEM
Year-Round Meter Service Charges
         
Meter Size   Quarterly Charge
5/8
  $ 22.31  
3/4
    33.46  
1”
    55.76  
Year-Round Water Commodity Charges
                 
Customer Class           Charge per 1,000 Gallons
Residential
  All consumption   $ 5.097  
Seasonal Meter Service Charges
         
Meter Size   Per Season
5/8
  $ 177.63  
1”
    414.26  
Seasonal Water Commodity Charges
     
Charge per 1,000 Gallons   $11.62
SOUNDVIEW, POINT O’WOODS & WHITE SANDS SYSTEMS
Seasonal Flat Rate Charges
         
Single
  $ 335  
Duplex
    770  
Triplex
    1,005  
Quadplex
    1,340  
Commercial
    502  

 


 

CRYSTAL DIVISION
Meter Service Charges
         
Meter Size   Quarterly Charge
5/8
  $ 22.31  
3/4
    33.45  
1”
    55.77  
11/2
    111.54  
2”
    178.44  
3”
    334.62  
4”
    557.67  
6”
    1,115.31  
8”
    1,784.52  
10”
    2,677.20  
Water Commodity Charges
                 
Customer Class           per 1,000 Gallons
Residential
  All consumption   $ 4.135  
Commercial
  All consumption   $ 3.335  
Industrial
  All consumption   $ 2.280  
Public Authority
  All consumption   $ 3.171  
Private Fire Protection Charges
         
Service Connection Size   Per Quarter
4” or less
  $      161.85 each
6”
        367.85 each
8”
        654.76 each
10”
    1,022.60 each
12”
    1,471.36 each
Public Fire Protection Charges
         
Hydrant Charge (per quarter)
  45.82 each   
 
       
Linear-Foot Charge (per month)
     
Plainfield
  0.03135 per linear-foot
Brooklyn
    0.07737 per linear-foot
Killingly (except Borough of Danielson)
    0.03882 per linear-foot
Borough of Danielson
    0.15789 per linear-foot
Thompson
    0.07737 per linear foot

 


 

GALLUP DIVISION
Meter Service Charges
         
Meter Size   Quarterly Charge
Brookside system only:
       
5/8” & 3/4
  $ 22.31  
 
       
All other systems:
       
5/8
  $ 22.31  
3/4
    33.45  
1”
    55.77  
11/2
    111.54  
2”
    178.44  
3”
    334.62  
4”
    557.67  
6”
    1,115.31  
Water Commodity Charges
                 
Customer Class           per 1,000 Gallons
Residential
  All consumption   $ 5.097  
Commercial
  All consumption   $ 4.273  
Industrial
  All consumption   $ 4.336  
Public Authority
  All consumption   $ 4.336  
Private Fire Protection Charges
         
Service Connection Size   Per Quarter
4” or less
  $101.64 each
6”
  238.57   each
8”
  421.66   each
Public Fire Protection Charges
         
Hydrant Charge (per quarter)   $ 45.82 each
Linear-Foot Charge (per month)   $ 0.07737 per linear-foot

 


 

UNIONVILLE DIVISION
Meter Service Charges
         
Meter Size   Quarterly Charge
5/8
  $ 22.31  
3/4
    33.46  
1”
    55.76  
11/2
    111.54  
2”
    178.45  
3”
    334.60  
4”
    557.66  
6”
    1,115.32  
Water Commodity Charges
                 
Customer Class           per 1,000 Gallons
Residential
  All consumption   $ 3.038  
Commercial
  All consumption   $ 2.460  
Industrial
  All consumption   $ 2.108  
Public Authority
  All consumption   $ 2.107  
Private Fire Protection Charges
         
Service Connection Size   Per Quarter
4”
  $ 101.64 each
6”
    238.57 each
8”
    421.66 each
10”
    650.90 each
12”
    926.30 each
Public Fire Protection Charges
         
Hydrant Charge (per quarter) $ 45.82 each
Linear-Foot Charge (per month) $ 0.07737 per linear-foot

 


 

SOUTH COVENTRY SYSTEM
Meter Service Charges
                 
Meter Size   Monthly Charge   Quarterly Charge
All Meters
  $ 8.85     $ 26.56  
Water Commodity Charges
                 
    Monthly Charge   Quarterly Charge
Customer Class   (per 100 cubic feet)   (per 100 cubic feet)
Residential
               
All Consumption
  $ 5.4767     $ 5.4767  
 
               
Commercial & Industrial
               
First 3,333 cubic feet
  $ 5.4767          
Excess of 3,333 cubic feet
    3.3173          
 
First 10,000 cubic feet
          $ 5.4767  
Excess of 10,000 cubic feet
            3.3173  
Miscellaneous Service Charges
                 
Termination Charge
          $ 40.00  
 
Reconnection Charge
            40.00  
 
Bad Check Charge
            10.00  
 
Late Payment Charge   The greater of $2.00 or 1.25% per month on the outstanding balance for monthly accounts unpaid 34 days from the date of mailing, or quarterly accounts unpaid 64 days from the date of mailing.

 


 

SCHEDULE OF SPECIAL CHARGES
(All Divisions except South Coventry system)
         
Service Turn On/Off and Meter Charges
       
 
       
Service turn off (normal hours)
  $ 40  
Service turn off (after hours)
  $ 60  
Service turn on (normal hours)
  $ 40  
Service turn on (after hours)
  $ 60  
Service turn on — large meter > 2” (normal hours)
  $ 40  
Service turn on — large meter > 2” (after hours)
  $ 60  
Service turn on at curb (normal hours)
  $ 40  
Service turn on at curb (after hours)
  $ 60  
Service turn on — seasonal activation
  $ 20  
Frozen meter charge
  $ 50  
Frozen meter charge (after hours)
  $ 75  
 
       
Miscellaneous Fees and Charges
       
 
       
Bulk water account activation
  $ 50  
Bulk water commodity charge
  commercial metered rate
Unauthorized hydrant use
  $ 200  
Unauthorized water use
  $ 200  
Curb box repairs — equipment required
  $ 300  
Curb box repairs — hand dug
  $ 100  
Cross connection notice fee
  $ 40  
 
       
Collection Fees
       
 
       
Returned check fee
  $ 30  
Late payment fee
  1.5% per month*
 
*   Calculation of Late Payment Fee Interest Charges:
The interest charges are applied at the time of billing and are applied to past due amounts only. Monthly customers would have a one-month interest charge applied at the time of billing and a quarterly customer would have a three-month interest charge applied at the time of billing (3 times the monthly interest rate).

 


 

APPENDIX B: AMENDED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
STATE OF CONNECTICUT
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITY CONTROL
         
APPLICATION OF THE CONNECTICUT
  :   DOCKET NO. 06-07-08
WATER COMPANY TO AMEND RATE
  :    
SCHEDULES
  :   December 20, 2006
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
     This Settlement Agreement is made as of the 20th day of December 2006 by and among The Connecticut Water Company (“CWC”), the Office of Consumer Counsel (“OCC”) and the Prosecutorial Staff of the Department of Public Utility Control (“PRO”). CWC, OCC and PRO are sometimes referred to individually as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties.”
Background
     1. On July 18, 2006, CWC filed an application for a rate increase of $14,600,000 or approximately 30% over present rates (the “Application”). This was the first CWC rate increase request in 16 years. The Application also requested a variety of changes to the CWC rules and regulations and the fees applicable to miscellaneous services. The Department of Public Utility Control (the “Department”) opened a rate proceeding referred to as Docket No. 06-07-08 in order to review the request.
     2. The Parties participated fully in the administrative litigation of this proceeding including extensive discovery, an audit, 6 evening public comment sessions and 11 days of public hearings at the Department’s offices. The Office of the Attorney General also participated as an intervenor, as did the Northeast Connecticut Council of Governments. During this process the Department compiled an extensive amount of record evidence. At the conclusion of the administrative proceeding, CWC filed updated evidence that resulted in a final rate increase request of $14,985,000.
     3. The Parties simultaneously conducted settlement negotiations in an attempt to craft a resolution of this case that was fair to all stakeholders, was sensitive to consumers’ preference for a smoother rate plan than the initial proposal and allowed CWC to earn a reasonable return of and on its investment. This Settlement Agreement sets forth that resolution and is submitted to the Department for its review and approval. This Agreement also responds to concerns raised by the Department following a public hearing to consider a prior version of the Agreement dated December 4, 2006.
     4. This Settlement Agreement represents an integrated set of trade-offs and compromises in order to achieve the goal of a fair resolution of this proceeding. It reflects the concerns voiced by customers as well as state and local officials that a phased-in increase that mitigates the customer impacts would be preferred rather than a one-time rate increase. It also

 


 

balances customer impacts against CWC’s need to charge rates that reflect its costs of rendering service. As more fully set forth in section E below, none of the Parties necessarily finds any particular element of the Settlement Agreement reasonable standing apart from the rest of the Agreement.
     A. Basic Elements of Phased-in Rate Increase
     1. The allowed revenue requirements as a result of the Application without regard to the phase-in are calculated as follows:
         
Proposed rate increase (LFE 18)
  $ 14,985,339  
Settlement adjustments
    (4,044,518 )
 
     
Rate increase
  $ 10,940,821  
     The allowed increase includes an adjustment to pro forma revenues at current rates of $326,429 over CWC’s requested pro forma revenues at current rates as shown on LFE 18. The $326,429 was, therefore, backed out of the rate increase. These adjustments result in total pro forma revenues after the rate increase of $ 60,002,791, an increase of 22.3% over pro forma revenues at current rates.
     2. This rate increase shall be phased in over a 15-month period. The first phase shall be effective for service rendered on and after January 1, 2007. The second phase shall be effective for service rendered on and after April 1, 2008.
     a. The first phase is an increase of $ 7,117,772 or 14.5%.
     b. The second phase is an increase of $3,823,049 (6.8% of 2007 allowed revenues) plus the amortization of the regulatory asset created by the deferral and described in paragraph C. 4. below. This phase of the increase reflects the revenue requirements arising from the rate base treatment of the balance, as of April 1, 2008, of the deferred portion of the total 22.3% increase and the beginning of the 20-yr amortization of the regulatory asset representing the deferral. Detailed calculations describing the creation of the regulatory asset are shown in Attachment A. The second phase will also include the adjustments that result from the 2008 limited reopener described in paragraph B below.
     B. 2008 Limited Reopener
     1. In addition to the phased-in rate increase described in paragraph A, CWC shall file, on or about January 30, 2008, a request to reopen Docket No. 06-07-08 for the limited purpose of allowing a further rate adjustment based upon
     a. increases in rate base arising from additional plant funded by CWC and placed in service on or before December 31, 2007 (but in no event more than $15.5 million) less

-2-


 

     b. the 2007 increment to accumulated depreciation less
     c. the additional deferred taxes related to liberalized depreciation (Act 282) as of 12-31-07 .
This net rate base addition shall be multiplied by the allowed rate of return of 8.07% and a tax multiplier of 1.4156. CWC shall also be allowed to recover the additional property taxes on the 2007 plant additions based upon the latest actual mill rates then in effect, plus the depreciation expense related to the CWC funded 2007 plant additions. All of the foregoing items shall be documented by evidence submitted by CWC and subject to such additional discovery and cross examination as the Department, OCC or other participants shall deem appropriate.
     2. No other adjustments to expense, revenue, rate base or rate of return shall be considered in the 2008 limited reopener. The Department shall review the levels of proposed increase using its customary procedures and no increase shall be implemented based on the limited reopener except as approved by the Department.
     3. Illustrative calculations demonstrating the mechanical aspects of the limited reopener rate adjustment and the implementation of the second phase of the initial rate increase are shown in Attachment B.
     C. Detailed Elements of Phased-in Rate Increase
     1. The allowed return on equity shall be 10.125% in place of the CWC requested return of 11.25%. Using the CWC proposed capital structure, this results in an allowed return on rate base of 8.07%. The return on rate base calculation is shown in Attachment C.
     2. Allowed rate base as of December 31, 2006 shall be $175,470,195 based upon the information in LFE 18.
     3. Depreciation shall remain at current rates. This reduction, when combined with disallowances of O&M expenses will result in a reduction of approximately $2 million, including the disallowance of the Company’s SERP expense. Total allowed O&M expenses are $28,391,394.
     4. CWC shall record deferred revenue of $318,580 per month from January 2007 through and including March 2008. This represents the portion of the phased in rate increase that is being deferred for fifteen months. The deferred principal amount shall be included in rate base and CWC shall begin to amortize that amount over a 20-year period.
     5. Other amortization amounts and amortization periods shall be as reflected in CWC’s application as updated through LFE 18.
     6. A summary of these key elements is shown in tabular form in Attachment

-3-


 

     D. Rate Design
     1. Meter charges, consumption charges and fire protection charges shall be based upon the rate design set forth in LFE-18, adjusted pro rata across the board to reflect the initial 14.5% increase. The same approach will be employed for the April 1, 2008 increase.
     2. As of January 1, 2007, special and miscellaneous charges will be implemented as set forth in LFE-18 and will not be further adjusted on April 1, 2008.
     3. Rules and regulations governing customer service and related items will include all changes requested by Department staff during the public hearings.
     4. Rates, rules and regulations complying with this Settlement Agreement will be filed on or about December 5, 2006.
     E. Other issues
     1. Upon Department approval of the Settlement Agreement in its entirety, CWC agrees that it shall not file a new application for a general increase in rates pursuant to section 16-19 of the General Statutes that would become effective prior to January 1, 2010, provided that CWC reserves the right to request rate relief that would become effective prior to January 1, 2010 if CWC incurs or will incur unanticipated substantial and material cost increases as a result of changes in law, administrative requirements or accounting standards, or due to force majeure events such as acts of God, strikes, lockouts, acts of the public enemy, wars, riots, landslides, lightning, earthquakes, fires, storms, floods, breakage or accident to machinery or lines of pipe, line freeze ups, and other cause, whether the kind herein enumerated, or otherwise, and whether caused or occasioned by or happening on account of the act or omission of CWC, which is not in the control of CWC and which by the exercise of due diligence CWC is unable to prevent or overcome, occurring after the date of this Settlement Agreement
     2. The record in this proceeding provides sufficient evidence on which the Department can rely to make a determination that the Settlement Agreement is reasonable and in the public interest and that the resulting rates comply with applicable law.
     3. The Parties waive the right to submit briefs prior to the Department issuing a Draft Decision approving or rejecting the Settlement Agreement.
     4. The Parties agree that this Settlement Agreement is in the public interest.
     5. This Settlement Agreement is intended to be an integrated document. As such, the terms contained herein are interdependent and not severable, and they shall not be binding upon, or deemed to be an admission or concession by any Party, or to represent the positions of the Parties, if the Settlement Agreement is not fully approved

-4-


 

by the Department. If the Department does not approve this Settlement Agreement in its entirety, it shall be deemed withdrawn, it shall not constitute a part of the record in this or any other administrative or judicial proceeding, shall not be admissible as evidence or be used for any purpose whatsoever in this or any other administrative or judicial proceeding, and each Party shall be free to advocate any position on any of the issues addressed by the Settlement Agreement in this or any other administrative or judicial proceeding, unless the Parties agree otherwise.
     6. The Parties shall support the Settlement Agreement before the Department, any other public forum and any court to which an appeal may be taken, shall do nothing to undermine the integrity of the Settlement Agreement and shall take all such action necessary on a cooperative basis to secure approval and implementation of the provisions of the Settlement Agreement.
     7. The discussions which have produced this Settlement Agreement have been conducted on the explicit understanding that all offers of settlement and discussions relating thereto are and shall be privileged and confidential, shall be without prejudice to the position of any Party presenting such offer or participating in any such discussions, and are not to be used in any manner in connection with this or any other administrative or judicial proceeding involving any or all of the Parties or otherwise.
     8. This Settlement Agreement does not represent an admission or concession by the Parties as to the proper disposition of any issue not related to this Settlement Agreement in any future proceeding before the Department, any court or any other administrative agency. It does not signify the Parties’ agreement with any claim or claims made by any Party in this case. This Settlement Agreement or any of its terms shall not prejudice the positions that the Parties may take on any issue in any future proceeding not related to this Settlement Agreement during the term of this Settlement Agreement before the Department, the courts or any other administrative agency, and shall not be admissible as evidence therein or in any proceeding not related to the matters covered by this Settlement Agreement before the Department, the courts or any other administrative agency and shall not be deemed an admission or concession by any of the Parties in regard to any claim or position taken by any other of the Parties in such proceedings. The Settlement Agreement is not intended to establish precedent in such proceedings. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as a waiver of, or limitation upon any Party’s right to raise any issues contained herein in any subsequent docket not related to this Settlement Agreement during the term of this Settlement Agreement.

-5-


 

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Parties has duly executed this Settlement Agreement as of the date set forth above.
         
  THE CONNECTICUT WATER COMPANY
 
 
  By   /s/ David C. Benoit    
    David C. Benoit   
    Chief Financial Officer, Vice-President-
Finance and Treasurer 
 
         
  MARY J. HEALEY
CONSUMER COUNSEL
 
 
  By:   /s/ Richard E. Sobolewski  
    Richard E. Sobolewski   
    Supervisor of Technical Analysis   
         
  PROSECUTORIAL STAFF OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITY
CONTROL
 
 
  By   /s/ Miriam L. Theroux  
    Miriam L. Theroux    
       
 

-6-


 

Attachment A of Amended Settlement Agreement
           DN 06-07-08 Settlement Agreement                                           Revised 12-20-06
         
    Deferred  
    Revenues  
2007
       
Jan
  $ 318,587  
Feb
    318,587  
 
     
 
    637,174  
Mar
    318,587  
 
     
 
    955,761  
April
    318,587  
 
     
 
    1,274,348  
May
    318,587  
 
     
 
    1,592,935  
June
    318,587  
 
     
 
    1,911,522  
July
    318,587  
 
     
 
    2,230,109  
Aug
    318,587  
 
     
 
    2,548,696  
Sept
    318,587  
 
     
 
    2,867,283  
Oct
    318,587  
 
     
 
    3,185,870  
Nov
    318,587  
 
     
 
    3,504,457  
Dec
    318,587  
 
     
 
    3,823,044  
2008
       
Jan
    318,587  
 
     
 
    4,141,631  
Feb
    318,587  
 
     
 
    4,460,218  
March
    318,587  
 
     
 
    4,778,805  
 
     

 


 

Attachment B of Amended Settlement Agreement
Attachment B
How the Amount of the rate Increases will be Determined
DN 06-07-08 Settlement Agreement                                         Revised 12-20-06
                 
Rate increase effective January 1, 2007
               
 
               
Increase (Attachment C, line 26)
          $ 7,117,772  
 
             
 
               
Rate increase effective April 1, 2008
               
 
               
A. Amount of increase that had been deferred (Attachment C, line 27)
          $ 3,823,049  
 
               
B. Increase in revenues related to amortization of regulatory deferral
               
Amortization of amount that had been deferred
               
Deferred Amount (Attachment A)
    4,778,805          
Amortization period in years
    20       238,940  
 
             
 
               
C. Increase in Revenues related to Expenses of new plant in Service (a.1 below)        
Property Taxes on Additional Plant in Service
               
Additional Plant in Service (as calculated on line 39 below)
  TBD        
Mil rates from latest property tax bills
  TBD   TBD
 
             
Depreciation
               
Depreciation expense on CWC funded additional plant in Service
          TBD
 
               
D. Increase in Rate Base
               
Deferred Revenues at March 31, 2008 (Attachment A)
  $ 4,778,805          
Amortization (see line 12 above)
    (238,940 )        
Additional CWC funded Plant in service (Line 46)
  TBD        
Additional Acc Depreciation (as calculated on line 51 below)
  ( TBD )        
Additional Deferred Income Taxes (as calculated on line 56 below)
  (TBD)        
 
             
Total Increase in Rate Base
  TBD        
Rate of Return (Attachment C)
    8.07 %        
 
             
Increase in Operating income (Line 27 times line 28)
  TBD        
Tax Multiplier (Exhibit WASTT-01 Line 8 / Line 6)
    1,4156     TBD
 
       
 
Total Increase (Lines 7, 12, 17, 19 & 30)
               
 
             
 
               
(a) Additional Plant in Service (Company & Developer funded)
               
(a.1) Additional Plant Placed in Service
               
Plant in Service at December 31, 2007
  TBD        
Plant in Service in rate base (Attachment C, line 1)
    (364,803,483 )        
 
             
Increase in Plant in Service (Line 37 - Line 38)
               
 
             
 
               
(a.2) Additional Developer Funded Plant
               
Developer Advances and CIAC at December 31, 2007
  TBD        
Developer Advances and CIAC in rate base (Attach C, line 12)
    (67,426,375 )        
 
             
Increase in Developer Advances and CIAC (line 42 - line 43)
               
 
             
 
               
(a.3) Increase in CWC funded plant (line 39 - line 44)
  TBD   ( Not to exceed $15.5 million)
 
             
 
(b) Additional Accumulated Depreciation
               
Acc Depreciation at December 31, 2007
  TBD        
Acc Depreciation in rate base (Attachment C, line 2)
    (102,066,209 )        
 
             
Increase in Accum Depreciation (line 49 - Line 50)
               
 
             
 
(c) Additional Deferred Income Taxes
               
Def Inc Taxes Lib Depreciation at 12-31-07
  TBD        
Def Inc Taxes Lib Depreciation in rate base (Attachment C, line 9)
    (25,789,187 )        
 
             
Increase in Deferred Income Taxes (line 54 - line 55)
               
 
             

 


 

Attachment C of Amended Settlement Agreement
DN 06-07-08 Settlement Agreement
Rate Base
         
Plant in Service
  $ 364,803,483  
Less Reserve Depreciation
    (102,066,209 )
 
     
Net Plant in Service
    262,737,274  
 
       
Working Capital
    4,474,639  
Prepaid/Deferred Tax Assets
    13,645,293  
Other Rate Base Additions
    797,228  
Deferred Income Taxes
       
Liberalized Depreciation (282)
    (25,789,187 )
All Other (283)
    (12,906,113 )
Other Rate Base Deductions
       
Developer Advances and CIAC
    (67,426,375 )
Unamortized Land Gain
    (62,564 )
 
     
Rate Base
  $ 175,470,195  
 
     
Capitalization and Average Cost of Capital
                                 
                            Weighted  
            % of total     Cost     Cost  
Short-term Debt Equivalent
  $ 14,457,255       8.24 %     5.62 %     0.46 %
Long-term Debt
    69,911,052       39.84 %     5.89 %     2.35 %
Common Equity
    91,101,888       51.92 %     10.125 %     5.26 %
                   
Total Capitalization
  $ 175,470,195       100.00 %             8.07 %
                   
Operating Income and Return on rate base
         
Operating Revenues Current Rates
  $ 49,061,970  
Revenue Increase Jan 07
    7,117,772  
Deferred Revenue Increase (08)
    3,823,049  
 
     
Operating Revenues allowed
    60,002,791  
 
       
Operation & Maintenance Expense
    28,391,394  
Depreciation and Amortization
    6,063,059  
Property Taxes
    4,900,182  
Payroll Taxes
    818,005  
Federal Income Taxes
    5,390,594  
State Income Taxes
    822,259  
 
     
Operating Expenses
    46,385,493  
 
       
Other Income (net)
    543,146  
 
     
 
       
Operating Income
  $ 14,160,444  
 
     
 
       
Return on Rate Base L (40) / L (14)
    8.07 %

 


 

DOCKET NO. 06-07-08   APPLICATION OF THE CONNECTICUT WATER COMPANY TO AMEND RATE SCHEDULES
This Decision is adopted by the following Commissioners:
John W. Betkoski, III
Anne C. George
Jack R. Goldberg
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
     The foregoing is a true and correct copy of the Decision issued by the Department of Public Utility Control, State of Connecticut, and was forwarded by Certified Mail to all parties of record in this proceeding on the date indicated.
             
 
  /s/ Louise E. Rickard   Jan. 16, 2007    
 
 
 
Louise E. Rickard
 
 
Date
   
 
  Acting Executive Secretary        
 
  Department of Public Utility Control        

 

EX-99.3 4 y29083exv99w3.htm EX-99.3: PRESS RELEASE EX-99.3
 

Exhibit 99.3
     
(CONNECTICUTWATER LOGO)
  NEWS
93 West Main Street, Clinton, CT 06413
Connecticut Water Service, Inc. Announces Rate Case Decision
     CLINTON, CONNECTICUT, January 17, 2007 – The Connecticut Water Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. (NASDAQ GS:CTWS), announced that the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) has issued a final decision approving an amended Settlement Agreement on the Company’s application to amend rates. Last July, Connecticut Water filed its first application in 15 years to raise rates requesting a $14.6 million increase in annual revenue to, in large part, recover $130 million in infrastructure improvements and a 60 percent increase in operating costs.
     On January 16, the DPUC issued a final decision and formally approved an amended Settlement Agreement that had been negotiated with the DPUC’s Prosecutorial Staff and the Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC). The final decision approving the amended Settlement Agreement includes a two step phase-in of new rates over a 15 month period beginning in January 2007. The first step effective January 1, 2007 will result in an increase of annual revenues of approximately $7.1 million over pre-rate case revenues of $49.1 million. This will result is an increase of approximately $16 on the quarterly water bill of a typical residential customer. The second step, effective April 1, 2008, will increase annual revenues by approximately $3.8 million and will provide for the recovery of costs associated with additional plant investments made in 2007 through a limited reopener proceeding in January 2008.
     Eric W. Thornburg, President and CEO of Connecticut Water, called the DPUC’s decision and the Amended Settlement Agreement fair and workable. Mr. Thornburg states, “We believe the decision balances the impact on customers with the Company’s need for rates to cover the cost of providing service while allowing for continued investment in our water systems. During the extensive public hearing process, customers repeatedly stated that they preferred a phased-in rate increase, and I am pleased that the DPUC’s Prosecutorial Staff, OCC and Connecticut Water were able to deliver on that request. Connecticut Water has great respect for the staff and commissioners of the DPUC and OCC and their dedication to a thorough application and review process.”
     Other terms of the approved agreement include:
    Connecticut Water receives the full benefit of the $10.9 million increase in annual revenues effective January 1, 2007. The amended Settlement Agreement allows Connecticut Water to treat the second phase rate increase of $3.8 million as a regulatory asset on the balance sheet immediately and begin collecting it through rates on April 1, 2008.
 
    The allowed Return on Equity is set at 10.125%
 
    The allowed Return on Rate Base, under Connecticut Water’s capital structure is 8.07%.
 
    Connecticut Water will request a limited reopener in January 2008 to have additional plant placed in service before December 31, 2007 added to rate base with a $15.5 million cap.
 
    Connecticut Water agrees not to file a new application for a general rate increase that would become effective prior to January 1, 2010.
     The Connecticut Water Company provides quality water and service to 82,000 customers, or approximately 280,000 people in 41 Connecticut towns.

 


 

###
News media contact:
Daniel J. Meaney, APR
Director of Corporate Communications
Connecticut Water Service, Inc.
93 West Main Street, Clinton, CT 06413-1600
(860) 669-8630: Ext. 3016
Connecticut Water Service, Inc. is the largest, domestic-based, investor-owned water utility in New England. It provides water to over 82,000 customers in 41 towns in Connecticut, as well as providing water-related services under contract to municipalities and companies.
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements regarding the Company’s results of operations and financial position. These forward-looking statements are based on current information and expectations, and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from expected results.
The Connecticut Water Company is subject to various federal and state regulatory agencies concerning water quality and environmental standards. Generally, the water industry is materially dependent on the adequacy of approved rates to allow for a fair rate of return on the investment in utility plant. The ability to maintain our operating costs at the lowest possible level while providing good quality water service is beneficial to customers and stockholders. Profitability is also dependent on the timeliness and amount of rate relief and numerous factors over which we have little or no control, such as the quantity of rainfall and temperature, industrial demand, financing costs, energy rates, tax rates, and stock market trends which may affect the return earned on pension assets, and compliance with environmental and water quality regulations. The profitability of our other revenue sources is subject to the amount of land we have available for sale and/or donation, the demand for the land, the continuation of the current state tax benefits relating to the donation of land for open space purposes, regulatory approval of land dispositions, the demand for telecommunications antenna site leases and the successful extensions and expansion of our service contracts. We undertake no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

 

EX-99.4 5 y29083exv99w4.htm EX-99.4: COMPANY STATEMENT EX-99.4
 

Exhibit 99.4
January 16, 2007
Statement by The Connecticut Water Company in Response to the DPUC’s Approval of a Phase-In of New Rates
          “We believe the DPUC reached a fair decision that balances the impacts of the increase on consumers with the company’s legitimate need to implement rates which reflect the cost of providing the service,” said Eric W. Thornburg, president and CEO of Connecticut Water. “At many of the public hearings that the DPUC held around the state, customers made it clear that they preferred a phase in of the rate increase and we are pleased the decision responds to that request.
          “We appreciate the hard work of the all the parties involved and the professional manner in which the process was conducted. We look forward to building on the Connecticut Water Company’s record of providing our 80,000 customers with quality water and service, through a reliable and safe distribution system in the most cost-efficient manner.” added Mr. Thornburg.
Rate Decision Summary
    The decision includes a rate increase in two parts over a 15-month period.
 
    The first phase is an overall increase of 14.5 percent effective January 1, 2007 and the second phase is a 6.8 percent increase over 2007 rates, effective April 1, 2008.
 
    The Company agrees not to apply for a general rate increase that would become effective prior to January 1, 2010.
 
    The amount of the increase and impact for individual customers varies by system, customer class and the customer’s water usage, based on current rates and the actual cost of serving them. Under the new rates, most customers’ bills will increase in the first phase by close to 15 percent, while some customers’ bills may actually see a slight decrease.
 
    Customers using 18,000 gallons of water per quarter with the average increase would pay an additional $16 in their quarterly bill in the first phase, or approximately 18 cents per day.
 
    The new rate applies to the portion of a customer’s water bill for service on or after January 1, 2007. With residential bills issued quarterly, the number of days at the new rate will vary in the first quarter.
 
    Even with the new rates, a gallon of water still costs less than a penny a gallon.
 
    The company will also have the ability in the second phase to recover up to $15.5 million for capital investments made in 2007, upon a determination by the DPUC that the investments were made in the best interests of customers.
 
    The decision results in an increase of approximately $7.1 million in annual revenues in the first phase and an estimated $3.8 million of additional revenues in the second phase.
 
    The rate adjustment allows the company to continue to make necessary infrastructure replacements and improvements, develop new sources of water supply to meet growing customer demand and maintain service levels expected by customers.

 


 

     Connecticut Water had filed an application with the DPUC on July 18, 2006, for a 30.2 percent overall rate increase. The request for a rate increase was made, in part, to recover the company’s costs of more than $130 million in infrastructure investments made to maintain water quality and enhance system security for more than 278,000 people in 41 Connecticut towns. Since its last rate increase in 1991, the company’s costs also have increased by 60 percent.
     
Contact:
  Mary B. Ingarra, APR
 
  Manager of Public Affairs
 
  1-800-428-3985 x3014 / (860) 669-8630 x3014
 
  mingarra@ctwater.com

Fact Specific to Crystal Division (Brooklyn, Killingly, Part of Plainfield and Thompson):
S   Customers in Connecticut Water’s Crystal Division using an average of 18,000 gallons of water per quarter would pay an additional $7 in their quarterly bill, or an additional 8 cents per day. Even with the new rates, a gallon of water still costs less than a penny a gallon.
Fact Specific to Gallup Division (Griswold and Part of Plainfield):
S   Customers in Connecticut Water’s Gallup Division using an average of 18,000 gallons of water per quarter will see their bills reduced by about $6 per quarter, or about 7 cents per day. The decrease is being applied to the Gallup Division customers’ bills because their rates have been historically higher than other company divisions.
Fact Specific to Brookside Division (Part of Plainfield)
S   Brookside Division customers who use an average of 18,000 gallons of water per quarter will see their bills decrease by about $21 per quarter, or by 23 cents per day. The decrease is being applied to Brookside Division customers’ bills because their rates have been historically higher than other company divisions.

Fact Specific to Unionville (Farmington and Avon):
S   Customers in Connecticut Water’s Unionville Division using an average of 18,000 gallons of water per quarter would see their quarterly bills reduced by about $1.25 per quarter, or about one cent per day. The new base rate incorporates what was previously approved as a 30 percent surcharge for the operating costs and the financing of an interconnection with the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC). The interconnection was necessary to provide additional supply to the system and alleviate recurring seasonal water shortages.

 


 

     
Connecticut Water    
Company    
Divisions   Towns Served by Region
Connecticut Water
241,000 people served
   
 
   
Shoreline Region
  Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Griswold,
Guilford, Madison, Stonington (Masons Island), Old
Lyme, Old Saybrook, Voluntown, Westbrook
 
   
Northern Region
  Bolton, Coventry, East Granby, East Windsor,
Ellington, Enfield, Somers, South Windsor,
Stafford, Suffield, Tolland, Vernon, Windsor Locks
 
   
Naugatuck Region
  Avon, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Burlington,
Canton, Middlebury. Naugatuck, Plymouth, Prospect,
Thomaston, Waterbury
 
   
Crystal Water
17,000 people served
  Brooklyn, Griswold, Killingly, Plainfield, Thompson
 
   
Unionville Water
20,000 people served
  Avon, Farmington

 

GRAPHIC 6 y29083y2908301.gif GRAPHIC begin 644 y29083y2908301.gif M1TE&.#EA8P!.`.8``$E)2;"PL$%!0<+"PM+2TM34U/#P\,K*RMK:VN;FYC4U M-2TM+;2TM(J*BM;6UJJJJI*2DJBHJ*ZNKJ:FIC$Q,8"`@+R\O(2$A,3$Q):6 MEGU]?7M[>Z*BH@L+"Z2DI(>'A[>WM^3DY,#`P-C8V"@H*(B(B(R,C'9V=J"@ MH+*RLLS,S(*"@GEY>9F9F;FYN6QL;&!@8&1D9'-S'!P<)J:FEU=76)B M8F=G9YR M'DY.3E!04%)24B4E)145%3X^/D9&1E=75S@X.%965KJZNDM+2UQ<7#L[.Q$1 M$3P\/$-#0P0$!-[>WOW]_?KZ^N[N[OS\_/CX^)Z>GNSL[+Z^OO3T],[.SL;& MQO7U]?+R\NKJZH^/CXZ.CLC(R-S/CX^#@X.+BXO/S\^GIZ=W=W=_?W\G)R>OKZP```/[^_B'Y!``````` M+`````!C`$X```?_@'^"@X2%AH>(B88B!8J.CY"1DI-=;!8]6R<4"C5_=6R3 MH:*CDW5)2!U$355Y`R0Z2@LO=J2UMHD.'B*'?3Y86!(\%$U#?W`\6*E^-&M: MM\^U!D_"?@IOA&M+.GD@?AT!?TA9:1I_$GY++3Y&7(88`@II>-#TA&=-1'I- M%!MRA$,RROPIX8W*BRL5!.B`T<'/E2YS-@@H1&8)%@A*GHRI1\_`"0L*_BB( M$8/`(`-88(!XT&%(#3$^RHTP,F&`$2(EMJBIPH#0%R=88M18,`041UM=&J#Y M\^3/D"=2G`EBT`$&E604G$#(X80;CQX2E/!8,D1`E1>$`NAX`B/,"R`P_[P< MK:6AW)\87,CP`#>(`H0_8?PT\1/A30P<`)PHL)/!2`<*"_Y,$"!0$!-#:(0Y<\$(:")PDQPP5 M/)#@(2)4T$`6AIC!P04/=&&(%@?88`,&)`K"1_\5$'#110$Z7'#C(1;0<`0, M4_B0`QB0K/%"3$I=$,,+(@AYB!8(1*"`'_?A5^,+3,0@(`%.)-!<&6?L888B M6N0P1`EAA'$"$6F0V``63PBA!``P_!$"#G<\,L%W1X'AQ(A@^$"%$RN$A%\" M-YS`@H`MZ+#%`#28^8<67#@017(?#$'"!9$J`D8`,31!7R*9%I"4#D@HH80? M1R3Y!@);"-+%!A)H(404@IBAP0E/5`&#`3;UT,(!2'QXR`XGZ!`&$VO\<4<& M#-1@P2!=?-#3!SMX@<<-3`B07)*%+`"&&$T,Z,08/*9%'L&#\+HD4#?LCQQ1+=^$'$(R,0L5T4"U3`A1]?$`+! MN_<"?L@!%XR]*P?;Q;"!$7\LX4?3BB1`@C=>&%&!''[<\&$%8?Q1`8^>(_+" M`_*!\,<6&72`1@&2/TX#BH^((8`?5/QAA&,"=/#!RKC_D<&ZO1]"P1E_X"`0 M_P&J/V['`E@(808-0$`BPA!Z/(!%%0^LT1`2@N00`7@8=R^('F$X0(W^D(>- M'<,/6!`$S+#P`QV00`V@P=$1=L`2/V0M#MP11!9^=H8%N,%_$3@"#SI@!0U] M`7B"L,'J!%$!DZ$@!DC8""(8P(0+I&%MF/L#&;;#@T&\8!Y.B,`8"'`-P%G- M%1BX`@I\0(@#$(%[+40@M+*0-43((%D1,%GF_K"V-FT@`'U"X`*8T(:OA6!^ MR,""&A;`ET/$P&0V6`WP\+"+0EP!"7)XXW:V"`(43&D,TZ@&$N"`!>%P#`X= M(,,?RG"`!`RA)QK4``0&,`0UX-!Q%B/!4VZP,W9%8/\)>O1#!A"AA2F\8`U^ M,!J;>&:'(32@`28@0`-R`(`8"<('4=#!#VYB,C]401!,.$`>:J`#11)""S6X M)`\>H`,%P``'/1C$!HYP`1&\(1M'4!6)3K`"092!`V6\0#0%@0,-P($.)*C" M)?U@I^*@X74\X``83F"#.=#!";U$8`LJX``(V.4/%[A`"G3``1]\0`'"PU<& MB,`!#+P``QZ8@!(@^8=#R<$",*@`0R37@89M1P=+,$(52!`!*AS!!"="8#66 M$(<_<.`%=A($#;AT!-K\@5L\Z\$F=C8&+%!@$&R`0!.8X(>6D4`$6,"?(\$]\F:!??T@`9+Q6 MB#`H`0),6$`7(F#,#VPGKA4X@1^80(8GY"$+2R"#!OYE-T.\D3Y@6``1#O`U M+30A"31`GQ*8P,1!]&`!B3Q!!AIPA`7T#P%KBP$/%*`ZAV"`"P\X01`:(`(: MI($)7Q@!:([@C32`@0M-H`'@])`&+L@`!QO0@0;J0`@W#"`%"""`!#CPA0CX M`Y@=P(#1F%`R%OS!`3HX0@4R,(`)<.`(2M#`/`3!@5CX88Q6X`'X>!8#/72A MK*+(P@%,L%6)QA2A$X, M2?A:_V2RP)Q)P.$%+,!!!MC6@1ST[:X.%@05-,2Q!6AA#R4(Q1MD0`8OG"$` M6-A`%4Q@GH:41A2%>\)X\?6$,XBA/*%PP0M>0(,W*J`#6\P!$1PTBBI>X6L0 M&%$#1C"*!^0SS1$C:0!6^LS@M+J',A MMA`&"1R@B(*@@PFREH`%;!EP#!";@DZ@`3<@X`HG<,`3!/_#NT*TP0L!D`+3 M?%"%Q_5("EB(`@QV10`%M%0,4@A9]PC0A'$ZP`]!S``/J%"`#W0@OW^0=#4V MP(4`!(`"VQG"APZP@"40P0@\6``)3G"!(;2@#W\H`!.D0PHG:&`%$'`!KB=A M!@C@X`&7^\T?"&`S#"Q`"2]H]A_8<(`QE/Q`(4"`F=B`4@HD8`X\4`,!]#"$ M#GPG!#*8Z2U"L`('B$`"$HC`!`+ZA:*;H`(UB`"3#]&#+\",!`A(``*8P(`3 MD``A;7H$&*@0@U)QP`!*$(0;9("%!\S@!1/X=2T"$(28"B(!<8@#`K*0!2Y% MH03Z2X$('I`"/@0`$X(8P!.(L`#_&'#!#5TX00H:@)9(>(`$$KB!`O@!@!2U M<`$Q0-(?SO``"'P`!C"(P)0F,08G."`47-A3"(K@Z3\(H!,<`,<(K!4$2:2` M!R=`00,0``X""'R+?YA#!IH@`KF\@0%8^%L9"``$&B!!!TY(T1@J4P@^=$#< MBO#"!.*0@O6NH$$L6A+OAL0GTS!8@J_;L`0"D*$)%0Z;3?\P`@5P(`,J M@6P<1O!!;]J!`3!P!3;%!A)0(6ZG"",@`$!0``<0!QN`!M]`"';@`CV@!E!` M`@)7`Q<@((_P!@/@`S>P!!\`)U:!`XPE"#(0`!8@`SL``!#0=4%P!4*P=(50 M!E]``QFP_R=Q0`(^X&@*@U:#X`57L&:&T`*O$6]Q<`$8$$&%X`!'QP9O(`5$ M8`,.0F*#@`,"<`%G$`)$T`!$D`(J8(4]\@(-((8>@`-6\`(T#(>(@@88`6T,$/E47\LX$#4APAUL``I MH$V#@`=J<`%4P`2@MQ`^0`,`T`00D`9\PP4.AP!``8>`!.U`(!O``%]``=;`%$]`&6D``,]``'M`,A?`&?'`!,Y`&19`"=N`` M#0`%`U`!.U`'5V`#X_0'N`$ M`*`!(F``$[$`MA$`$E`",P`".P8-"V`G"I`#`@`#5@`"5*`#H[0T(,",0P`# M1P"$AF`I#0``W%-]+&`##\`&!'`"H+3_!%)`%%>P6&)0`UH0$@6@(_UW%,/7 M`PB``RP0`$3``WK`#EW`!$L`;S`@`0KC+8)`BSO`!75P!QT`30!@`C1R!6MA M!%8P`'-031S#`4:@``UP`'B0F`9`&QR@/B0A(&8@!:.0!C;`!FX0`"OP!)T5 M!QR@``5`%@40`&ZP!1PP!,2(+P9`9PJP`%?@!&GP!6@0!%M`!26``6D`!13P M!$+4`UF0F8IP`E^P![M#!&I``5D`8W9@`EH0*0D0'B_``(OX-6?PD`1K0V5=VCPV(`?/Y@!'T`)78$ESN004 MP`00(`4P``9'```K8'AVP`1T&870`9;D`!A\%LF ML`$5*@<\0`,G@`5]L``]P`(;,`1(4`YU@`(S\%L[0`$X0`!@T`3)"*J/H`5A M0`,E``$20`8%P`7'"2UA@`$P``$!<`%]4`41T`&)`5`U\`$1D`(!,(T`0D(# M+D"LH@"/,I!=4L`$`$!P.4`&(>`,9T`"5;$`9"";!V`%%CH(<,"4YOH,1\H& M*0`#`"`#`R`&;O``1I`#0>`#6\`)A'`!G?.O]2`&_44#8M`&;"`#;7`"0Z`J M"7`;%(L?"%`"+Z("7N"/U\@"SS6R^-$'$J`!1*84#2`#+#!_+LLQ7F`'V) GRAPHIC 7 y29083y2908300.gif GRAPHIC begin 644 y29083y2908300.gif M1TE&.#EA$`$Y`-4@`(#*P4"PHL#EX,/2YTAUMH6CSA"J>#R\/'T^7#$N>'I\V>,PG:8R+#>V96OU*2Z MVK/&X3EJK]+=[5B!O`M'G0"5@____P`````````````````````````````` M```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` M`````````````````````````````````"'Y!`$``"``+``````0`3D```;_ M0)!P2`0E%)^D\O-(%)_0J'1*K5JO3P1@R\5ZL92">#P82L9HRI"#+JB_\+A< MT%C:DP^$?,_O6R]V#7Y\&AZ&AP5#&8>,94(5C`Z#DWX)=Y6C'J M\!**,3L6&3Y[',DZM*$(AP%B,@R0\*0>(Z)/!N@JH`&IE0$8*+_! MPG)(S"4J02"8$.\.@ZSMY+U-8DI(N21;`K5E!R!K@I0BIEWS5 M8GO)Z2$0E4@D95Q(<27KLC%*!`("8#4?#T&68`$C7\8^JX$?`&F6`^I"I!N" MH,$Z(V]7I"K)NSJ)Q0NE,>5Y>"?_DK;^?1`@;,@-V!!JNP&CDGS*@<"@0R#@ M!PP3%C&G1&L))N$$10B!H/^4-GM54Y0K:F3@734;C(>B$'\!9DA??I&TXA6? M*1%:9Q%.")<0%NHH"D$Z$NA@D!_$A4"&^@E1XX4@+#G3D$'&A20RP2GQSD[B ML`@0".49XAU0CAG"E'HN0O;A+3&Z>`A2&ZE)RQ7U?1#5'=`\-TZ```@1)R9Z M8*ECGB#8"4"`!H'0HX`3//>!GI'*#9+!5T>4D9V;@)E18`]-9E2CA$)L:D2@-ZA@`"O M?:!I(&+=(AP*38!./"A$@&?IH0ZO2AB@1WUY2FMH*HZX%@E"&> M)H+_#R,2D.F!&J=2-XMB$L3J05_2@.`N!@.0ZT%(`YDV1)S-@ANH/%!FRZ/! MST5[AY)V/(FD$T`N`;%,(%2LQ!#>'MI:P[IB#,+$('"X!&X_@3#8BXS`TN:] M7+K"%*VOZ$72$/["(A2[:1["5'6NP&+%`G@<6*>[GDXE)[N7W_*T2^/;\H1,XV9U0_S%9HS%H5USO8$AS6$/&) M+5R@R=C#PI:$L0U0@>9@X`=FXK]%"<%;3AL9U#)(,L8106Z&D(!W($`W`JS/ M$`%A54=6=@A8G/!-@BM5_/(F,R$,#CY5\)H2F"&%#F8M@U=;FGVTYCC108YT MGM/A!ZQF.2)^S3-;0UO6I(@YY]&#)">TP.L*(+=^#."+8*2`O?Q&.U<`Q7!_ MV]VJ7$$4-"(N:V`!7Z^,N*/O8?]N\A%\"(D`%_E4MEKO"=*X#GBI!LJ7A7.%X5%,DD0RJ!>@5\ M'J4$:",_+C$`SWE2]Z8P2^PM`94*DP(&(_:T!Q*!(Z*Z!@O/1<8AA,&2A^C+ MJ1P!0@<0@`"G@L7K/%`2$,*("A5LS10X"#4&63"#(!.BG"0(#&14<`H5M,@Y M)?BD*"R)B4?TH#%G<:9$O.Q]@0-!O=Q$N-O9PX;\#*&':AC#]UQ!B1_@812H M^!\G)@&>._(@'A\7I'4H,5=0F*@0E`C1),1EH8648X.(,$T/L%`-C"#`/85` M`63.0@W_[]N;1P)JC34^1I\OO8(>/_`51%:1;9\+Z4_GJ$?I!).Z"B`G(8DU0 M:6-_!`"C9`>@AFF6A`*3M0P5Q-G.Q+U#L#N$H,78V!A^]`>6&5V6$1M@X!=_V87)%&@):*4K;M%DT MBJ.3J!UZ,L@F':U/TQ4"5T`A"HTZ=(G,_0"@C@:HZB;RK8QT_]'//"4J!VB5 MN&Z,:3ZWQ`8TP*=W?=AI3CC+QR1I(E^K65!(X>TL-*N?Z^P%<;H^O M27#P'V'[2Q?!I[UHFA]9];7):(#$=69M+`CHMX?E:O<.R-BER`H\V@""++!; MR^LZ]PH"%K_6:3"N6G@_RE(7E63$@!&:9;6TE/L%C14$!:YB^\#?Y6'NG3MV M;1(N]D0-/E"<[Y`MMZ(&E>\:I+7KU/+HQ+Q@4_JW""5-)HBK\6.]K9>X,[2I M=G":NYC:2@[(_:B)MVQFGGJ9J>*MK=DRASH%![+&V=-HL33AW8L"NG-]K*Z- M)TQ)%SF"F!^6LR$@LR5,SW?#H/PJ>O_DH%\A-%E9?@6T4?MZ.NL9;);K7&I> M$WS@6Z8:T;;.\0&+@+Y+#K0:ELG7D'5WB)`,6\3+[(.)C8!B*7^3E[ANI:X; M6%H-.1NU,4;8:D&&0&DO$,=2(_.AB?#58E]Q%OW(GW!_[3,CMPS)12[HG)?< MAX(0$G/BINUJ\YU(&D42I"/<&,!8!IF0*6-*`7K3 M^#F"56WA:*&J#JC@QIPWPZN)TS'!"1I-ZLA5B97Z.B$+G@);=)Y%A%/\\Y/!9B2]#H1;!^*8V55C*8S M`[DLL8B,OPUM\^&]>FU!@(&@1FB&[_7O/+'(GNSM[(22]#J*J`8.>>ZFG[DK M,,1V45_HW8<###Y;"@6[V"QBJ%E97$&>`Y MH8O3;,Q5C9_!.ZNU^,G@(CXX#WBD^*H2@GPG$0'1-P``N,F-`OSS@`GT]``! MR'[VK:[][*^B^]E?!_:[W\X+3I\G#'@]31A0'`,H0*&B64#W33%^[9L]0N=7 M0O5[FK&W&.`T"@!^/;4``9A]Y6W!3Q!@`9HE M!64(.`1`!F"4&;(3=[.P`7&XAG[H@U'(3\Y4`(HQ6050`2_C2!G0AU+``1A@ MA@;UAY+8A!?H4F>X`04PAG$`AH`169/XB4VH`16@ARY2ATNX"13P54((BJS8 M%)7DB5>@`5?8=J;(A!R@"Q7P3"?R3!60B:I88"+W0H6M.(S#4$DII8E5@%F3 MQ804D`&(>(9BD@%,^(7"2(S62`EGX%($P(";Z(R6B(7G,8W7.(X)46[H!H=@ MX(TDP8MHT`$$\(V1$(+D.(_?T"\!Y0`5P"_BJ(,84`'DHHC("`6(`8F'0`#B M2(\(V0D9L%70Z"4=@`&,>`5A0(H0$)`)>9&3P`&CV)"#&)%Q$(@%R8T8.9*= 2((KPZ$P0.0P4X!BP^`5!```[ ` end
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----