Black Hills Energy Public Notice
PUBLIC NOTICE
Pursuant to the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act and the Wyoming Public Service Commission’s (Commission) Rules and Regulations, notice is hereby given of the Application of Black Hills Wyoming Gas, LLC, d/b/a Black Hills Energy (BHWG or the Company) for a Deferred Accounting Order to establish a regulatory asset to record and preserve costs related to increased insurance premiums, effective January 1, 2025, as more fully described below.
1. BHWG is a public utility subject to the Commission’s jurisdiction. Wyo. Stat. § § 37-1-101(a)(vi)(G) and 37-2-112.
2. On November 19, 2024, pursuant to Wyoming Statutes §§ 37-2-112 and 37-2-115, BHWG filed an Application requesting the Commission grant the Company a Deferred Accounting Order allowing it to record and defer a regulatory asset associated with increases in excess liability insurance premiums. The Company further requests the Commission authorize it to record the carrying charges for the proposed regulatory asset at the Commission approved customer deposit rate. The deferral is for possible future recovery of the subject costs. The total amount of the potential deferral is unknown.
3. The Company asserts the utility industry experienced losses which drove increases in insurance coverage premiums including increases for excess liability coverage, particularly for utilities operating in western states. This resulted in unprecedented excess liability coverage premium increases from 2023 to 2024.
4. BHWG does not currently seek recovery of these costs from customers. The requested Deferred Accounting Order, if approved, will enable the Company to seek recovery in future proceedings. If approved, deferred costs will be recorded in Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Account 182.3.
5. This is not a complete description of the Application. It may be inspected at the Commission’s office in Cheyenne or online: https://dms.wyo.gov/external/publicusers.aspx (enter Record No. 17725).
6. Anyone desiring to file a statement, intervention petition, protest or request for a public hearing in this matter must do so, in writing, on or before January 6, 2024. Petitions shall set forth the grounds of the proposed intervention or request for hearing as well as the position and the interest of the petitioner in this proceeding. Please mention Docket No. 30026-101-GA-24 in your communications.
7. If you wish to intervene in this matter or request a public hearing that you will attend and you require reasonable accommodation for a disability, call the Commission at (307) 777-7427, or write to the Commission at 2515 Warren Avenue, Suite 300, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002. Communications impaired persons may also contact the Commission by accessing Wyoming Relay at 711.
Dated: December 6, 2024.
(Publish December 12 and 19, 2024)