'Utility czar' bill taking heat

A bill that would abolish the state's utility consumer watchdog group and instead appoint a "utility czar" may be dead before it is even debated.

HB320, sponsored by Rep. James Gowans, D-Tooele, proposes to eliminate the Committee of Consumer Services and the Division of Public Utilities and instead establish an "office of the ratepayer advocate" under the Utah Attorney General's office.

Within that office, a utility czar, appointed by the governor, would represent the interests of all retail consumers of natural gas, electric and telephone public utilities in the state.

Attorney General Mark Shurtleff on Thursday said he had not yet taken a position on the legislation, but his office did not need any more "czars."

"Oh, boy, more czars for me," Shurtleff said sarcastically, referring to his office's past oversight of a former "porn czar." After the Legislature created the controversial porn czar position, it immediately took away funding for the job.

Critics of HB320 are rankled by the thought of disbanding the consumer committee and say higher utility rates could be in store for residential customers.

Dee Jay Hammon, consumer committee chairman, said it has saved ratepayers roughly $1 billion since 1978, the year it was formed.

"There's a bunch of promises made to maintain independence, and I frankly don't trust that will come to pass," Hammon said. "I don't think they can ram it through simply because it's a Democrat that's sponsoring the bill. . . . Every legislative session the committee goes through this. It seems like every year there's someone taking a shot."

Irene Rees, director of the Division of Public Utilities, said it has no position on the bill and has had no input into the legislation. Julie Orchard, a spokeswoman for the Utah Public Service Commission, said it would like to study the bill in more depth, but some aspects of HB320 could be good.

"It is an issue that needs more time," Orchard said. "I do think it has far-reaching consequences."

HB320 has its supporters, including the Utah Manufacturers Association and Utah Retailers Association, which contend they are disenfranchised when it comes to setting utility rates.

Gary Dodge, who helped draft the bill and is an attorney representing large industries in the state, said Utah businesses and manufacturers collectively purchase more than half of the energy sold by PacifiCorp in Utah.