Hearing - E-01575A-24-0246 - Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc. Tucson

meeting

Arizona Corporation Commission 3h 46m 8 agenda items transcribed 2 days ago official recording ↗

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Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

What is discussed at the start of this hearing and who appears on record?

Unknown 0:00

All right, Adam, let's go on the record. So this is the second day in the hearing um for SSVEC's rate application. It's docket E dash zero one five seven five A dash two four dash zero two four six. Um I'm gonna take appearances so we know for the record who is present this morning. Um And I'll start with um S S V E C.

Jeff Crockett 0:30

Good morning, Your Honor, Jeff Crockett and Sarah Ransom appearing this morning on behalf of the applicant SSV E C.

Unknown 0:36

Okay, great. And on behalf of Sar Aresia.

Autumn Johnson 0:42

Good morning, Your Honor, Autumn Johnson, on behalf of the Arizona Solar Energy Industries Association, Aresia, and with me today is Will Gale, our witness. Thank you.

Unknown 0:51

Right. And is there someone here from the union um IBEW? Yes. One one one. Good morning, your honors. Sorry. Go ahead.

Clara 1:03

Oh, I apologize. This is Clara with someone here on behalf of the IBEW.

Unknown 1:08

Great. I'm glad you made it back. And on behalf of commission staff.

Bridget Humphrey 1:14

Good morning, your honor Bridget Humphrey and Rob Rid Nower on behalf of commission staff.

Clara 1:21

All right.

Bridget Humphrey 1:21

Do we know who we have in the room or who can be no change? All right, thank you.

Unknown 1:29

Um All right, so we've had some off the record discussions about the order of witnesses because staff's witness, Miss Paladino, needs to have a hard stop at noon. We are going to actually interrupt the testimony of Mr. Gale so that we can get um Rennell on and off the stand so she can do whatever d fun thing she needs to do this weekend. Hopefully it's fun. All right, um Adam, can you swear in our witness?

Adam 2:05

Wouldn't you raise your right hand, please? Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

Unknown 2:13

I do.

Adam 2:14

Thank you.

Bridget Humphrey 2:19

Usually. Um Good morning. Miss Palladino, would you state your name and your business address for the record?

Ronal Paladino 2:26

Sure. Ronal Paladino. This address is twelve hundred West Washington. Phoenix, Arizona. Eight five zero zero seven. By whom are you employed and in what position? I work for the Arizona Corporation Commission and I'm one of the co directors in the utilities division. And

Bridget Humphrey 2:44

without taking up the full three hours that we have left this morning, can you briefly tell us what your duties are? Sure.

Ronal Paladino 2:51

Uh I manage a group of analysts who are responsible for propane, natural gas, telecom, electric applications that come from utilities.

Bridget Humphrey 3:01

And you were the supervisor for all of the staff's witnesses in this case, is that correct? Uh not a lot of a rep supervisor, but that's correct. Yes. Okay, sorry, I I need to talk for you. Um Do you believe that you're able to provide testimony on most, if not all, of the issues in this case? Yes, I will do my best. When staff prepares w written pre-filed testimony, um, do you always or virtually always review that before it gets filed? Yes. And you help make the decisions, you and your co director make the final decisions on what staff's position will be. Yes. Do you believe well and and in this case the two witnesses that um that Miss Johnson has indicated she wants to speak to are Mr. Beckerman and Mrs.

Bridget Humphrey 3:45

Sebas. Uh has either of those employees been employed with the commission for more than two years?

Will Gale 3:51

Yeah.

Bridget Humphrey 3:52

No. And and i in their fairly new positions do they set policy? No. In this particular case, uh though it's my understanding that those two employees only filed direct testimony. That's correct. And after the direct testimony was filed, um I believe Mr. Crockett requested a uh settlement meeting and we began settlement discussions, correct? That's correct. And so since from the time of the direct testimony forward, would you expect m either Mrs. Sevus or Mr. Beckerman to have much knowledge of or of of an opinion um as to what position staff was taking?

Ronal Paladino 4:31

No.

Bridget Humphrey 4:31

Would that have mostly been handled by you and your co director? That's correct.

Bridget Humphrey 4:41

Did you participate in the settlement meeting and settlement negotiations finally believed? Yes, I did. And how would you characterize the settlement discussions?

Ronal Paladino 4:52

The discussions were open, transparent. Um candid. I think everyone had an opportunity to express their concerns and get their issues on the table.