Bates White regularly conducts economic prudence and management review audits of electric and natural gas utilities on behalf of North American state regulators. Recent examples include:
On behalf of the Mississippi Public Service Commission, we have conducted four consecutive audits (2022-2025) of Mississippi Power Company's fuel and purchased power cost adjustment clause. Our review assessed the utility's practices for economical purchase and use of fuel and electric energy and assessed the relevant contract terms and conditions for fuel and purchased power. In all cases, Vincent Musco appeared before the Mississippi Commission to present our findings.
In Nebraska, on behalf of the Nebraska Public Service Commission, we have completed separate prudence audits of two natural gas utilities (Black Hills Energy, NorthWestern Energy). The audits reviewed the economics of the utilities' respective natural gas planning, procurement, risk management, and hedging activities and transactions over several years. In each case, Vincent Musco provided expert testimony before the Nebraska Commission.
On behalf of the Nova Scotia Energy Board, we have completed four consecutive economic prudence audits of Nova Scotia Power, Inc., the electric jurisdictional utility in the province. Our review assessed several billion dollars of fuel and purchased power costs. We assessed the utiity's load forecasting, resource planning, commodity procurement (natural gas, solid fuel, biomass fuel), hedging program and activities, purchased power arrangements, and commitment and dispatch decisions. In each case, Vincent Musco provided expert testimony before the Board.
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