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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 4658-08-2016 A Resolution NO. 4658-08-2016 SUSPENDING THE PROCEDURAL SCHEDULE SET FORTH IN RESOLUTION 4619-04-2016 FOR THE SHOW CAUSE PROCEEDING OF ONCOR ELECTRIC DELIVERY COMPANY, LLC; REAFFIRMING ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF SUCH RESOLUTION; NOTING COMPLIANCE WITH OPEN MEETINGS ACT; AND REQUIRING NOTICE OF PASSAGE WHEREAS, the City of Fort Worth is a regulatory authority under the Public Utility Regulatory Act ("PURA") and has original jurisdiction over the rates of Oncor Electric Delivery Company, LLC ("Oncor")to determine if such rates are just and reasonable; and WHEREAS, Sections 33.021, 36.003, and 36.151 of PURA empower a regulatory authority, on its own motion or on a complaint by any affected person, to determine whether the existing rates of any public utility for any service are unreasonable or in any way in violation of any provision of law, and upon such determination, to determine the just and reasonable rates; and WHEREAS, the City of Fort Worth had and continues to have reason to believe that Oncor is over-earning and its rates are excessive; and WHEREAS, the City of Fort Worth is a member of the Steering Committee of Cities Served by Oncor; and WHEREAS, the Executive Committee of the Steering Committee of Cities Served by Oncor recommended that cities pass a resolution requiring Oncor to show cause why its transmission and distribution rates should not be reduced; and WHEREAS, on April 19, 2016, the City Council of the City of Fort Worth, acting on its own motion, adopted Resolution 4619- 04-2016, exercising its authority under Sections 33.021, 36.003 and 36.151 of PURA and instituting a show cause proceeding for Oncor and ordaining procedural matters related thereto (the "Show Cause Resolution"); and WHEREAS, recent and on-going developments regarding the ownership and organizational structure of Oncor will impact the tax status of certain revenues and associated pass-through charges that form a portion of Oncor's rates; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds it advisable and in the public interest to suspend the procedural schedule set forth in the Show Cause Resolution until Oncor's ownership and organizational issues have been resolved. ORT WO iRa iHi NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS: SECTION 1. That the procedural schedule established in Resolution 4619- 04-2016 is hereby suspended until further notice. SECTION 2. That when Oncor's ownership and organizational issues have been resolved or near resolution, the City Council may enter an order setting a revised procedural schedule for the filing of Oncor's initial information, requests for information from the City's designated representatives and responses thereto, City's designated representatives' analysis of Oncor's filing and information, and Oncor's rebuttal; for the holding of a public hearing; and for other procedural matters as needed. SECTION 3. That all other aspects of Resolution 4619- 04-2016, including, but not limited to, the designation of representatives, consultants, and legal counsel, are hereby reaffirmed. SECTION 4. That it is hereby officially found and determined that the meeting at which this resolution was passed was open to the public as required by law, and that public notice of the time, place, and purpose of said meeting was given all as required by Section 551.041, Texas Government Code. SECTION 5. That, following adoption, a copy of this Resolution shall be sent to E. Allen Nye, Jr., Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Oncor Electric Delivery Company, LLC, 1616 Woodall Rodgers Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75202, and to Geoffrey Gay, General Counsel to the Steering Committee of Cities Served by Oncor, at Lloyd Gosselink Rochelle & Townsend, P.C., P.O. Box 1725, Austin, Texas 78767-1725. Adopted this 9" day of August 2016. Price, APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: GGC. 4��uQQa�a oSarah . Ful nwider, City Attorney ,d°� *0Rr �p0 0 �0 ° v a•� �a d ATTEST: veo �a° 4 QQaQQO�04 ary J. Ka er qty Wecretary fFbRTWoRT--1uj City of Fort Worth, Texas Mayor and Council Communication COUNCIL ACTION: Approved on 8/9/2016 - Resolution No. 4658-08-2016 DATE: Tuesday, August 9, 2016 REFERENCE NO.: **G-18794 LOG NAME: 21 SUSPEND ONCOR SHOW CAUSE SCHEDULE SUBJECT: Adopt Resolution Suspending Procedural Schedule Set Forth in Resolution 4619-04-2016 for Show Cause Proceeding Regarding the Rates of Oncor Electric Delivery Company, LLC (ALL COUNCIL DISTRICTS) RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached resolution to suspend the procedural schedule that was set forth in Resolution 4619-04-2016 for the show cause proceeding regarding the rates of Oncor Electric Delivery Company, LLC. DISCUSSION: The purpose of this Mayor and Council Communication (M&C) is to suspend the procedural schedule that was initially established for the show cause proceeding regarding the rates of Oncor Electric Delivery, LLC ("Oncor"), which was instituted on April 19, 2016. Resolution 4619-04-2016, which instituted the show cause proceeding, requires Oncor to file documentation with the City Council by September 1, 2016 to justify its current rates. A key issue in that proceeding is the recovery of income tax liability costs, which are currently passed through to ratepayers but that could be eliminated as the result of bankruptcy-related restructuring of Oncor. At the time Resolution 4619-04-2016 was approved, both the bankruptcy court and the Texas Public Utility Commission had approved that restructuring. Following the adoption of the resolution, the business deal calling for wholesale restructuring of Oncor fell apart. However, the lead investor behind the proposal is still diligently pursuing that option. Because the issues that led to the show-cause proceeding being instituted still exist, Staff recommends that the proceeding be kept in place; however, to allow time for the question of Oncor's future organizational structure going forward to be resolved, Staff recommends that the procedural schedule be suspended. Adoption of the attached resolution would suspend the show-cause proceeding until further notice. Note - Informal Report 9783, which was presented to the City Council the week before the show-cause resolution, more fully explains the structural and tax issues that gave rise to the show-cause proceeding. A copy of that Informal Report (IR) is attached for ease of reference. This M&C does not request approval of a contract with a business entity. FISCAL INFORMATION / CERTIFICATION: The Director of Finance certifies that this action will have no material effect on City Funds. FUND IDENTIFIERS (FIDs): Logname: 21 SUSPEND ONCOR SHOW CAUSE SCHEDULE Page 1 of 2 TO Fund Department ccoun Project Program ctivity Budget Reference # �mountl ID ID Year Chartfield 2 FROM Fund Department ccoun Project Program ctivity Budget Reference # moun ID ID Year Chartfield 2 CERTIFICATIONS: Submitted for City Manager's Office by: Jay Chapa (5804) Originating Department Head: Steve Cooke (5134) Additional Information Contact: Steve Cooke (5134) Logname: 21 SUSPEND ONCOR SHOW CAUSE SCHEDULE Page 2 of 2