Last week, the Public Utilities Commission huffed and puffed at BEL, telling the power company that it had no reason not to provide the public with new line installations, line extensions and temporary connections. But BEL, it seemed could hardly be bothered. BE: changed nothing and took its time to send out a two page eleven paragraph release responding to the PUC. It’s worth noting that the release wasn’t successfully sent to 7NEWS until a day after every other media house got it. That aside, the release accuses the PUC basically of double-speak and arbitrariness, saying one thing in June, and then demanding another in August.
And for BEL it seems the position is that until those inconsistencies are worked out, or spelled out, the PUC can “halla” Rome, or Jerome, because BEL ain’t gonna be doing any installations. And while the press release was two pages, what the public didn’t see was a six page letter that BEL’s CEO Lyn Young sent to the PUC. To make a quite long story very short, that letter sees the power company putting ultimatums to the regulator.
It basically says that before BEL can resume with installations, line extensions and temporary connections the PUC has to come correct! And by that, the company means that the PUC has to confirm that BEL will not be penalized for making those connections that the PUC will confirm that customers have to pay in full up front for new installations. And before BEL goes ahead with capital investments it has to get a satisfactory conclusion of the various appeals it has before the courts and it has to see that changes in the law are made to ensure that the PUC decisions cannot be arbitrarily reversed.
That’s bold, with the power company basically dictating the position to what has proven to be a strong-headed PUC. The PUC’s Board has been in meetings to consider their options. The Prime Minister’s office we are told has also been involved.
And it seems something has been worked out. A release that came into our newsroom at a quarter to six says that PUC has given BEL adequate assurances and the power company has resumed connection of new services with immediate effect. We assume that also includes temporary connections and line extensions – which had also been discontinued.
