An audit by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) includes 10 recommendations that could save Duquesne Light close to $2.4 million annually--some of which could be passed along to customers.
PUC spokeswoman Jennifer Kocher said says the biggest potential cost reductions involves a shift in employee hours.
“One of the biggest cost reducers that we see with any company is an analysis of their staffing and looking at reducing overtime through practices such as looking at shiftwork, relocating personnel between districts, and even looking at if they want to hire additional contractors or additional staff to cut down on that overtime,” Kocher said.
These cost reductions should result in lower rates for the 580,000 Duquesne Light customers in Western Pennsylvania, but Kocher said it’s too early to tell how much.
“We have to be sure the savings are actually achieved and to the levels that are estimated and those kinds of things,” she said. “And then they would have to come in through a rate case and apply for [the lower rate].”
Other recommendations made by the PUC include expanding databases used to track and monitor third-party damage and claims and improving current procedures to collect on overdue and unpaid bills.
According to the PUC, Duquesne Light will implement two of the recommendations by the end of the second quarter of 2013. Three more will be enacted by the third quarter, and the remaining five by the end of the fourth quarter.
