§ 21 - Particular proceedings; assessment of costs - Vermont Statutes

§ 21. Particular proceedings; assessment of costs

(a) The board or the department may allocate the portion of the expense incurred or authorized by it in retaining additional personnel for the particular proceedings authorized in section 20 of this title to the applicant or the public service company or companies involved in those proceedings. The board shall upon petition of an applicant or public service company to which costs are proposed to be allocated, review and determine, after opportunity for hearing, having due regard for the size and complexity of the project, the necessity and reasonableness of such costs, and may amend or revise such allocations. Prior to allocating costs, the board shall make a determination of the purpose and use of the funds to be raised hereunder, identify the recipient of the funds, provide for allocation of costs among companies to be assessed, indicate an estimated duration of the proceedings, and estimate the total costs to be imposed. With the approval of the board, such estimates may be revised as necessary. From time to time during the progress of the work of such additional personnel, the board or department shall render to the company detailed statements showing the amount of money expended or contracted for in the work of such personnel, which statements shall be paid by the applicant or the public service company into the state treasury at such time and in such manner as the board or department may reasonably direct.

(b) When regular employees of the board or department are employed in the particular proceedings described in section 20 of this title, the board, or the department may also allocate the portion of their costs and expenses to the applicant or the public service company or companies involved in the proceedings. The costs of regular employees shall be computed on the basis of working days within the salary period. The manner of assessment and of making payments shall otherwise be as provided for additional personnel in subsection (a) of this section.

(c) With the approval of the governor, the department of public service may also allocate such portion of expense incurred by it in administering the purchase of electric energy or power or natural gas from outside of the state, to the electric or gas distribution companies, cooperative, municipal or privately-owned, to which such energy, power or gas is sold, in proportion to the purchases thereof to such companies. When regular employees are employed on such work, their cost shall be computed on the basis of working days within the salary period. The manner of assessment and making payments shall otherwise be as provided for additional personnel in subsection (a) of this section. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 39(b), eff. March 1, 1961; 1979, No. 204 (Adj. Sess.), § 7, eff. Feb. 1, 1981; 1989, No. 63, § 2, eff. May 22, 1989; 1999, No. 49, § 151; 1999, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)