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Georgetown charged CUC $1.6M in 5 yrs.
The consultant for the Commonwealth Public Utilities Commission, Georgetown Consulting Services, has charged and collected over $1.626 million in fees since it started reviewing rate cases for the agency.
Documents obtained by Saipan Tribune showed that CUC paid $1.63 million for Georgetown’s services from fiscal year 2009 through fiscal year 2014. This includes $115,322 in travel expenses for the off-island consultant.
In fiscal year 2009—covering the period from November 2008 to September 2009—CUC spent $368,581.56 for services rendered by Georgetown in reviewing several matters for CUC, including the levelized energy adjustment clause rate, electric base rate, contract protocol, agreement with Commonwealth Development Authority, review of stipulated orders, CUC financials and interim financial plan, ARRA projects, water and wastewater, and others.
In fiscal year 2010, payments for Georgetown totaled $416,030.85—so far the biggest charge incurred by CUC as payment to the CPUC consultant.
In fiscal year 2011, that cost went down slightly to $351,144.16.
In fiscal year 2012, CUC’s total payment to Georgetown reached $234,887.40. The lowest amount paid the consultant was in fiscal year 2013 with $43,060. That was the time when CPUC was dormant.
As of March 2014, Georgetown’s invoice to CUC totaled $212,382.27. This is expected to grow as Georgetown is still doing work on CUC’s rate case petition that is currently on the CPUC’s table.
Georgetown, which the CPUC hired in 2007, charges fees for the number of hours it works on a rate case. Its billing goes to the regulated entity that filed the rate case petition.
Saipan Tribune learned that Georgetown’s contract is expiring at the end of fiscal year in September. CPUC commissioners have decided to issue a request for proposal, or RFP, for the services.
CPUC commissioners earlier expressed satisfaction with Georgetown’s performance, describing its fees as reasonable and fair.
According to CPUC, Georgetown was highly recommended for the specialized job by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The group, whose members are experts in the field, also provide similar services to utilities commissions in American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Island, and Guam.
