DR 97-188 LAKES REGION WATER COMPANY, INC. Order Suspending Proposed Tariff Revisions and Scheduling Prehearing Conference O R D E R N O. 22,835 January 12, 1998 On December 17, 1997, Lakes Region Water Company, Inc. (Lakes Region) filed with the Commission a rate filing seeking a rate increase of 20% which constitutes an increase in revenues of $66,000. Lakes Region had previously filed, on September 15, 1997, a Notice of Intent to File Rate Schedules pursuant to Puc 1603.07. However, Lakes Region did not file its proposed rate schedules within the required sixty days and the notice expired. Subsequently, Lakes Region submitted, on November 19, 1997, a request for an extension of time to file rate schedules. The request was denied on December 9, 1997 because Lakes Region failed to provide any basis for granting the extension. Lakes Region nevertheless filed rate schedules on December 17, 1997 and asked that the Commission accept the filing without requiring an additional 30-day notice period. The filing raises, inter alia, issues regarding whether the requirement of a new Notice of Intent to File Rate Schedules should be waived and the reasonableness of the proposed rate increase including plant additions, operation and maintenance, and rate of return. Based upon the foregoing, it is hereby ORDERED, that the proposed tariff pages of Lakes Region's NHPUC tariff No. 4 be and hereby are suspended; and it is FURTHERED ORDERED, that a Prehearing Conference, pursuant to N.H. Admin. Rules Puc 203.05, be held before the Commission located at 8 Old Suncook Road, Concord, New Hampshire on February 2, 1998 at 1:00 p.m., at which any one or more of the issues set forth in N.H. Admin Rule Puc 203.05(c) shall be considered; and it is FURTHER ORDERED, the prehearing conference shall be tape recorded unless a party, at least 5 days in advance of the prehearing conference, requests a transcript, in which case the commission shall order a stenographic record, pursuant to N.H. Admin. Rule Puc 203.05(d): and it is FURTHER ORDERED, that pursuant to N.H. Admin. Rules Puc 203.01, Lakes Region notify all persons desiring to be heard at this hearing by publishing a copy of this Order of Notice no later than January 19, 1998, in a newspaper with statewide circulation and of general circulation in that portion of the state in which operations are conducted, publication to be documented by affidavit filed with the Commission on or before February 2, 1998; and it is FURTHER ORDERED, that pursuant to N.H. Admin. Rules Puc 203.02, any party seeking to intervene in the proceeding shall submit to the Commission an original and eight copies of a Petition to Intervene with copies sent to Lakes Region and the Office of the Consumer Advocate on or before January 28, 1998, such Petition stating the facts demonstrating how its rights, duties, privileges, immunities or other substantial interests may be affected by the proceeding, as required by N.H. Admin. Rule Puc 203.02 and RSA 541-A:32,I(b); and it is FURTHER ORDERED, that any party objecting to a Petition to Intervene make said Objection on or before February 2, 1998. By order of the Public Utilities Commission of New Hampshire this twelfth day of January 1998. Douglas L. Patch Bruce B. Ellsworth Susan S. Geiger Chairman Commissioner Commissioner Attested by: Thomas B. Getz Executive Director and Secretary