20070521Decision memo.pdf

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DECISION MEMORANDUM
TO:COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSIONER REDFORD
COMMISSION SECRETARY
LEGAL
WORKING FILE
FROM:TAMMIE ESTBERG :tv t-~C)~ -0 (
DATE:May 8, 2007
RE:TESSA, RALPH AND WANDA LESEBERG'S FORMAL COMPLAINT
On April 16, 2007, the Commission received a "formal" complaint (attached) from Tessa
Leseberg on behalf of her elderly parents, Ralph and Wanda Leseberg, against Intermountain
Gas Company. The Lesebergs object to Intermountain Gas Company billing them for estimated
usage over a one-year period during which their meter was malfunctioning. They object to the
failure ofIntermountain Gas Company to discover and repair malfunctioning equipment in a
timely manner and question the Company s method of estimating consumption. The Lesebergs
were unsatisfied with the outcome of the informal procedures to resolve their complaint and have
filed this formal complaint.
BACKGROUND
In February 2007, the Lesebergs received a bill from Intermountain Gas Company that
was much higher than the previous month's billing. During a phone conversation with the
Company, Wanda was informed that her gas meter had been replaced in mid-January due to an
equipment malfunction and that the Company was preparing to re-bill the Lesebergs for an
additional $496., for estimated usage over the previous twelve months. The Lesebergs
received a letter from the Company dated February 2 2007, stating that an audit found their
meter was not registering accurately and the customer was being re-billed based on "historical
usage in combination with weather data"
DECISION MEMORANDUM May 08, 2007
After receiving a copy of the Lesebergs' letter of April 16 , the Company subsequently
reviewed its calculation of estimated usage. The Lesebergs have declined the Company s offer
to adjust the estimated billing to $415.46 based on a calculation prepared previously by Staff.
Staff notes that some information provided in its correspondence with the customers (copies of
which were attached to the complaint), was incorrect.
Staff's letter to the customer dated April 3 , 2007, erroneously referred to a "CT meter
CT meters are used to measure electric usage for large residential customers and are not used by .
gas utilities. The broken wriggler caused the failure to register usage correctly. Staff incorrectly
desCribed this as not being a "malfunctioning meter , but in fact, a broken wriggler is considered
to meet the definition of a malfunctioning meter.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
The Lesebergs are not satisfied with the outcome of the informal complaint. See Rules
25 and 54, mAPA 31.01.01.023
, .
024, and .054. Staff recommends that the Commission
issue a summons to Intermountain Gas and direct the Company to file a response to the
complaint.
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to accept the Leseberg s formal complaint? Does the
commission wish to issue a Summons or proceed under Modified Procedure?
Tammie Estberg
memos/Complaint Decision Memo
DECISION MEMORANDUM May 08 , 2007