PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

ENERGY DIVISION					        RESOLUTION E-3673
								        May 18, 2000

R E S O L U T I O N

Resolution E-3673. San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) Requests Approval of New Memorandum Accounts For Electric And Gas Line Extensions, Applicant Installation Trench Inspection Memorandum Accounts (AITIMA).  Approved.
 
By Advice Letter 1191-E/1166-G, Filed on September 17, 1999.

SUMMARY

Advice Letter 1191-E/1166-G requests revisions to its Section III, Memorandum Accounts, of its electric and gas Preliminary Statements , in order to add Applicant Installation Trench Inspection Memorandum Account (AITIMA).  SDG&E requests approval to establish new memorandum accounts to comply with Ordering Paragraph 4 of Decision 99-09-034 in Rulemaking (R.) 92-03-050, the Commission Rulemaking to consider the line extension rules of gas and electric utilities.
 
The purpose of the AITIMA accounts is to track monies collected from applicant-installed projects for the Utility’s inspections of applicant-installed trenching and facilities.  These fees will be subject to disbursement pending a final Commission decision that will resolve the issues raised by Joint Utility Respondents (JURs) in its Motion for Stay in D.99-09-034.  This resolution approves SDG&E’s request.

BACKGROUND

SDG&E filed this Advice Letter 1191-E/1166-G on September 17, 1999 and substitute sheets on October 6, 1999 to comply with D.99-09-034.  Ordering Paragraphs 2 and 3 of this decision ordered the JURs  to establish deferred and memorandum accounts to track monies collected from applicant-installed projects for the utility’s inspections of applicant-installed trenching for both electric and gas facilities.
 
The respective electric and gas AITIMAs will be used to record all inspection fees charged by SDG&E associated with individual applicant-installed projects under the Applicant Installation Option of the electric distribution line/gas main extension and electric and gas service extension rules of SDG&E (Electric and Gas Rules 15.G and 16.D.3) and to record amounts subject to future reimbursement by SDG&E’s ratepayers.  
Ordering Paragraph 5 of D.99-06-079 originally established that the first inspection performed by the utility, of each section of applicant-installed projects should be performed at no charge to the applicant.  The JURs requested rehearing of D.99-06-079 and requested a Stay on this Paragraph.  D.99-09-034 granted the JUR’s Motion for Stay, pending issuance by the Commission of a decision addressing the request for rehearing.  SDG&E will continue to collect inspection fees on applicant-installed projects, consistent with its existing tariffs and practices.  These fees will be tracked in respective electric and gas AITIMAs and held for disbursement pending a final Commission decision that will resolve the issues raised on rehearing.  These fees will also be tracked by individual applicant; such that all inspection fees can be tracked back to the individual project or project segment.

NOTICE

In accordance with Section III, Paragraph G, of General Order No. 96-A, SDG&E mailed copies of this Advice Letter to other utilities and interested parties.  Public notice of this filing has been made by publication in the Commission's daily calendar.

PROTESTS

No protests were filed to SDG&E’s Advice Letter 1191-E/1166-G.

DISCUSSION

We authorize SDG&E to establish an electric AITIMA to Section Y to the Memorandum Account Section of SDG&E’s electric Preliminary Statement.  We also authorize SDG&E to add a gas AITIMA to Section K of the Memorandum Account Section of SDG&E’s Preliminary Statement.

The Commission has established two instances in which memorandum accounts may become effective prior to the date of the Resolution approving them.  First, when the Resolution is a compliance filing in response to a previously approved Commission decision that authorized either the tracking or recovery of incurred costs.  Secondly, if there is a specific legislative direction that specifies an earlier effective date. The first situation is applicable in this case.  The effective date of the these Memorandum accounts is September 17, 1999.

SDG&E shall be at risk for balances in the AITIMAs pending review in a future proceeding.  Authorization of these memorandum accounts does not guarantee cost recovery.

COMMENTS 

This is an uncontested matter in which the decision grants the relief requested.  
Accordingly, pursuant to PU Code Section 311(g)(2), the otherwise applicable 30-day period for public review and comment is being waived.

FINDINGS

1.	SDG&E filed Advice Letter 1191-E/1166-G on September 17, 1999.  SDG&E requests approval to establish new memorandum accounts to comply with Ordering Paragraph 4 of D.99-09-034 dated September 2, 1999 in Rulemaking R. 92-03-050, the Commission Rulemaking to consider the line extension rules of gas and electric utilities.
 
2.	SDG&E is at risk for the balances in the AITIMAs pending review in a future proceeding. 

3.	Authorization of this account does not guarantee cost recovery.

4.	SDG&E’s  Advice Letter 1191-E/1166-G was required to comply with a Commission order.

5.	SDG&E should be allowed to establish deferred and memorandum accounts to track monies collected from applicant-installed projects for the utility’s inspections of applicant-installed trenching and facilities.

6.  The memorandum accounts should be effective September 17, 1999.

THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED THAT:

1.	SDG&E’s Advice Letter 1191-E/1166-G is approved. 

2.	This Resolution is effective today.

I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly introduced, passed and adopted at a conference of the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California held on May 18, 2000; the following Commissioners voting favorably thereon:

 _____________________
WESLEY M. FRANKLIN     
       Executive Director
								   
LORETTA M. LYNCH
            President
HENRY M. DUQUE
JOSIAH L. NEEPER
RICHARD A. BILAS
CARL W. WOOD
      Commissioners