Biofuels Docket Games

The Public Utilities Commission issued an Order on April 10, 2008 establishing the procedural timeline for the HECO-Imperium Biofuels Supply Contract contested case hearing.

HECO would not submit Direct Testimony. The Consumer Advocate and Life of the Land would simultaneously file our Direct Testimony on June 23-24. The Evidentiary Hearing will be the week of October 6, 2008.

We did file. 12 witnesses, 367 pages. (click to see filing)

The Consumer Advocate waited until after we filed our Direct Testimony to inform us that

(1) they had no witnesses;

(2) none of their staff had signed the Protective Agreement;

(3) they hadn't completed their analysis;

(4) HECO had not sent over any Level One or Level Two Confidential Information; and

(5) they want the date of the Evidentiary Hearing moved back six weeks.

It has now been over 3 weeks since the Consumer Advocate failed to file their Direct Testimony. It is less than 3 weeks to the new deadline that they want.

But the Public Utilities Commission has not yet made a ruling.

Life of the Land finds this ironic in a docket that the Public Utilities Commission stated on January 10, 2008: ''The commission is aware of the need to expediently resolve the issues in this docket in preparation for the CIP project; it therefore intends to fast-track these proceedings.''