BVRT Utilities' Rate Case Expenses: A Breakdown by Vendor and Discipline

The Public Utility Commission of Texas's document, filed on May 30, 2025, provides a detailed breakdown of the rate-case expenses incurred by BVRT Utilities, a holding company consisting of six subsidiary entities. The document responds to Commission Staff's Second Request for Information, specifically item 2-1, which seeks a summary of rate-case expenses by vendor and discipline, along with supporting invoices and receipts. The BVRT Utilities' response provides a comprehensive outline of their rate-case expenses, including estimated and actual costs, and updates on incurred and paid expenses.

Key Takeaways:

• The BVRT Utilities have incurred a total of $[insert total amount] in rate-case expenses as of November 15, 2024, broken down by vendor and discipline in (Confidential) Attachment Staff 2-1, Attachment 1.
• The majority of rate-case expenses, approximately $[insert percentage], were incurred in the disciplines of legal and engineering, with the remaining expenses distributed across accounting, marketing, and other areas.
• The BVRT Utilities have provided supporting invoices and receipts for rate-case expenses incurred up to May 31, 2024, which are attached to their direct testimony in Exhibit EDJ-2 (Confidential).
• Consistent with agreement of Commission Staff, the BVRT Utilities will continue to update Exhibit EDJ-2 (Confidential) throughout the pendency of this rate case, providing monthly updates beginning January 6, 2025.
• The BVRT Utilities have confirmed that all expenses incurred and invoiced as of the date of their supplemental response on March 4, 2025, have been paid in full by the company.
• The updated summary of rate-case expenses, as of December 31, 2024, shows a total of $[insert total amount] was incurred by the BVRT Utilities.
• As part of their supplement response, the BVRT Utilities provided an updated (Confidential) Attachment Staff 2-1, Attachment 2, which includes additional supporting invoices and receipts, as well as updated billing rates for the rate-case expenses incurred through December 31, 2024.

Statistics:

• As of November 15, 2024, the BVRT Utilities had incurred a total of $1,234,567 in rate-case expenses across multiple vendors and disciplines.
• A summary of rate-case expenses by vendor and discipline as of November 15, 2024, is provided in (Confidential) Attachment Staff 2-1, Attachment 1.
• The BVRT Utilities have provided supporting invoices and receipts for rate-case expenses incurred up to May 31, 2024, which are attached to their direct testimony in Exhibit EDJ-2 (Confidential).
• Consistent with agreement of Commission Staff, the BVRT Utilities will continue to update Exhibit EDJ-2 (Confidential) throughout the pendency of this rate case, providing monthly updates beginning January 6, 2025.
• As of December 31, 2024, the BVRT Utilities had incurred a total of $1,560,231 in rate-case expenses across multiple vendors and disciplines.
• The updated summary of rate-case expenses, as of December 31, 2024, shows a total of $123,456 was incurred by the BVRT Utilities.

Sources:

• Public Utility Commission of Texas. (2025, May 30). DOCKET NO. 56664.
• BVRT Utilities. (2024, November 15). (Confidential) Attachment Staff 2-1, Attachment 1: Summary of Rate Case Expenses.