OCR Text |
Show Utah Gas Service Company to seek overcharge rebate Utah Gas Service Company has fil-d fil-d a complaint before the Public Ser-!jCe Ser-!jCe Commission of Utah pertaining to hat they feel has been an overcharge J, Gary Energy Company, according o Utah Gas Manager Gary Stettler. According to Stettler, Utah Gas is of opinion that the gas they have been Dlirchasing from the Altonah and Lebell Gasoline Plants charged in excess of the contract Utah Gas has for the gas. The complaint goes back lo July, l81 and runs trough March, 1983 During that time the discrepance nas totalled $9,81,309.95, including accumulated ac-cumulated interest. Utah Gas Service Company wants at least a portion of that money returned to its customers. Since Utah Gas Service Company is a public utility, they have the right to recuperate costs of operation, therefore any increase in gas prices from producers can be passed direct- iy on to consumers. They are also entitled en-titled to a certain profit on their investment, invest-ment, which can also be passed on to consumers. Stettler said the matter they are now involved in is simply to keep their rates as low as possible and do what is right for the customers they serve. Stettler said Utah Gas Service Company Com-pany recognizes there may be conflicting conflic-ting claims, and therefore they have asked the Utah Public Service Commission Com-mission to intervene and make a decision deci-sion concerning the matter. A prehearing conference has been scheduled before the Utah Public Service Ser-vice Commission on Wednesday August 17, 1983 at 9 a.m. The conference con-ference will be held at the commission's commis-sion's hearing room, fourth floor, Heber M. Wells State Office Building 160 East 300 South, Salt Lake City, Utah. The prehearing conference will be to determine interested parties, to delineate the issues, and to set a schedule for further hearings in this matter. Anyone interested may appear at the prehearing conference, and are asked to file brief notice of their intention inten-tion to appear. They should include a short synopsis of the nature of their respective claims by August 10, 1983. The complaints in this matter may be inspected at the Public Service Commission office. Dr. Joseph Engels, with the Committee Com-mittee of Consumer Services, said their office is now reviewing the case to determine whether they should intervene in-tervene on behalf of Utah Gas Service Company. The Committee of Consumer Con-sumer Services exists to represent the people and small businesses of the State of Utah. The committee consists of six members appointed by the Governor. One of the things they do is to attempt to keep public utility rates as low as possible. Since Utah Gas Service Company Com-pany took it upon themselves to bring the matter before the Public Service Commission, Engels said he believes they deserve some consideration by the Committee of Consumer Services. The Committee of Consumer Services Ser-vices will be meeting Friday, July 29. The Utah Gas Service Company matter mat-ter is on their agenda, although Engles said he is requesting a closed meeting because of the possibility of litigation. Engles said the Committee of Consumer Con-sumer Services will do whatever they are instructed to do by the six-member board, which includes the possibility of using their attorneys on behalf of Utah Gas Service Company Although the meeting is closed, because of the possiblility of legal action, ac-tion, the decision and outcome of the meeting is a matter of public information. informa-tion. Whatever action is taken in the meeting will determine if and how the Committee and Consumer Services will help in the Utah Gas Service Company Com-pany matter. Any decision pertaining to the issue itself will begin with the Public Service Commission prehearing conference, and may not come for a substantial amount of time after that. |