Utility may reduce service after all
In a response this week to questions submitted by petitioners in the utility's rate case, which has been appealed, Rocky Mountain Power said it would consider delaying call-center response to service problems from Utah customers only, and not to customers in other states, and the utility would delay e-mail responses to Utah customers, as well.
The state's largest electric utility said it could implement significant changes in its customer service for its Utah ratepayers, in an effort to cut costs. Rocky Mountain Power said that among other options, the utility may reduce call-center costs by eliminating outage callbacks for Utah customers. The utility also may relax the standard of responding to customer e-mails within 24 hours and charge Utah customers for collection-agency fees when their overdue accounts are turned over to an agency.
The company said it would continue to provide overtime pay for employees to restore power during outages. But the company said it would discontinue its sponsorship of state, regional and local economic-development conferences, projects and studies.
The company's statements came in a response Monday to a data request made by the Utah Committee of Consumer Services. The utility's response was provided to all parties involved in the review of the company's rate case.
Rocky Mountain Power spokesman Jeff Hymas said in an e-mail Wednesday to the Deseret News that the utility "is considering other changes to reduce expenses and allow the company to bring the cost of providing service in line with the overall revenue recovery provided by the commission's August order."
The company also stated that it intends to temporarily reduce the use of contractors for facility inspections and for its pole-test program. The utility said curtailing its use of contractors is "synonymous" with the elimination of discretionary maintenance that the company had announced on Sept. 2. The company last week had retracted that plan, but in its response this week to the data request, the utility said it was still considering the service reduction.
On Sept. 2, the company said it would implement a hiring freeze directed at customer-service positions in Utah. The company also said that it would limit overtime for restoring power to "only when employee or public safety is threatened," eliminate discretionary maintenance, discontinue funding of research associated with renewable and clean-coal technology and discontinue support for economic development activities.
Recent comments
Why did the public service commission reject the utilities request?...
What is going on? | Sept. 25, 2008 at 11:01 p.m.
To tell these Public Utilities THAT THEY ARE PUBLIC , not private.
...
About Time | Sept. 25, 2008 at 10:05 p.m.
A public utility should have publically set executive compensation...
We should set executive salaries | Sept. 25, 2008 at 2:52 p.m.
- New lives for pit bulls 11:23 p.m.
- Lobbyist disclosure law hit & miss 11:22 p.m.
- State Am: More than golf for Stimpson 11:14 p.m.
- Sleepy Ridge offers much for many 11:09 p.m.
- Sentencing delayed in con man's case 11:07 p.m.
- Draper Days bronc riding 11:07 p.m.
- Ex-S.L. man pleads guilty in Florida 11:07 p.m.
- 2 W.V. men charged with lewdness 11:06 p.m.
- Defense prepares for murder case 11:05 p.m.
- Utah man gets 51 months for fraud 11:05 p.m.
- LDS seminary principal arrested
- Jazz talking Boozer trade?
- Reactions on Boozer speculation
- Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
- Blazers offer Millsap 4-year deal
- Jazz in back of line for free agents
- A primer for the 6th Potter film
- Okur signs two-year extension
- Jazz won't meet Lopez on Europe trip
- Restaurant destroyed by fire
- Letters: Palin mistreated
142 - Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
141 - LDS seminary principal arrested
138 - Jazz talking Boozer trade?
136 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
123 - Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
94 - Blazers offer Millsap 4-year deal
84 - Fairness of BCS debated
81 - Chaffetz eyes challenging Bennett
74 - Letters: Single-payer system best
72
By now you've probably read about the investigation that showed just how...
The photographs are mysterious, brooding, dark. They show dimples and...
It was not that long ago that all vaccinations were given during school. Of...
He was my seminary president this last year. He is a good mad, regardless of...
Scott, Thanks for calling attention to this very rare, special show. I too...
I am one of those primary care doctors that has to see more and more patients...
wisdom. Call Prichard's bluff and let Millsap go. It is too much money and he...
My bad I forgot Thomas.
Tough decision in my eyes. Yes it is a lot of money to pay for Milsap to sit...
The definition of "lie" is to make an untrue statement with the intent to...
why do people complain about the story vs. not story. If you don't think the...
Know your enemy: relax no one cares about the spelling. Anonymous: I agree...


