Opinion ID: 2622975
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: the commission's order approving the gas management cost stipulation

Text: ¶ 21 On June 6, 2006, the Commission entered its Report and Order (the Approval Order) approving the Stipulation. In the Approval Order, the Commission noted Consumer Services' change of position with respect to Questar's recovery of CO2 processing costs. The Commission stated that CBM now represents between twenty-five percent and forty percent of Questar's overall market purchases as compared to less than five percent during Consumer Services' previous opposition to Questar's cost recovery. In addition, Consumer Services' experts concluded that special blending of CBM would not entirely eliminate the need to process the gas in order to protect Questar Gas Customers. As a result, Consumer Services concluded that CO2 removal is the most effective way to deal with the CBM supply. ¶ 22 In the Approval Order, the Commission primarily found as follows: (1) there had been a significant change of circumstances such that now customers have benefitted financially from the presence of [CBM] on the Questar gas system; (2) Questar met its burden of proving the prudence of its decision to pursue CO2 processing after its technical conferences, analyses, studies, and testimony, all of which indicated that continued operation of the CO2 plant is the most cost-effective and efficient means of dealing with the CBM supply; and (3) safety, efficiency, and cost considerations, rather than affiliate interests, led all of the parties to conclude that operation of the CO2 plant is the preferred course of action during the stipulated transition period. Finally, the Commission noted that, in reaching the conclusion to continue operating the CO2 plant, Questar conducted a transparent decision-making process open to the public and subject to scrutiny by any interested person.