Of costs and values

Re article Yukon News: Bump Dinners from Public Bill:

I read the above article by James Munson and value greatly the news reporting.

However, there is one clarification: All regulation costs (the board’s, utility companies’ and interveners’) pertaining to Yukon Utilities Board hearings are paid for by electrical rate payers, not the government.

The Utilities Consumers’ Group would also like to comment on the statement by Whitehorse’s Brian Crist that, “Whitehorse doesn’t believe it’s the consumers’ group’s place to question (cost) claims.”

This is surprising to hear, as the city is very much aware it is our group’s mandate to protect ratepayers from any undue expenditures regarding all utilities.

Also, it would appear the city did not read prior correspondence from the board, which states clearly any interested party may make submissions regarding any other party cost claims. Or, perhaps the city, following the completion of hearings, no longer takes interest in what transpires regarding the outcomes of such Ð somewhat like the apparent position of the Yukon Utilities Board in that orders from hearings are final and the board abdicates any responsibility for consequences resulting from its decisions.

The consumers’ group further emphasizes that it is important for the public to understand that our consultant and lawyer performed all the research work on the cost claims submissions pro bono.

For myself, as president of the consumers’ organization, I no longer make application for any cost claims for proceedings before this board, even though I continue to partake in all aspects of the hearings.

Finally, for the record, the city’s professional fees requested for cost claims for their intervention were some $19,000 more than (almost double) those by the consumers’ group for the same public proceedings on the Mayo B Enhancement Project.

Roger Rondeau, president

Utilities Consumers’ Group

Whitehorse