Previous Story
Torres’ billing dispute gets hearing
|
Posted on Dec 11 2006
Rep. Stanley T. Torres will have a chance today to pursue his billing dispute against the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation.
CUC administrative hearing officer Linn H. Asper has scheduled a pre-hearing conference on Torres’ complaint at 10am, Dec. 12, 2006, at CUC’s office in the Joeten Dandan Building.
According to Asper, subjects for the pre-hearing conference will include hearing scheduling, identification of issues for the hearing, proposed stipulations, prospective witnesses, pre-hearing motions, briefing, and any other pre-hearing matters that either the customer or CUC wishes to raise.
The pre-hearing conference was set at the request of the lawmaker, who is questioning the electric fuel charges on the utility billing for his Garapan-Chinatown residence for the period between July 17 and Aug. 16, 2006. Torres says the fees are illegal because CUC started charging them without going through due process.
CUC has denied the billing dispute, saying that all of the reasons cited in Torres’ complaint were without merit.
Torres subsequently filed an appeal based on a technicality. He argued that CUC’s untimely response to his billing dispute meant that the matter has been resolved in his favor.
The lawmaker filed the dispute on Sept. 18, 2006. The regulations require the utility to respond within 20 days-in this case, on or before Oct. 10, 2006. CUC admittedly failed to do so until Oct. 13, 2006. [I][B](Agnes E. Donato)[/B][/I]
