R2019-112 2019-05-13 RESOLUTION NO. R2019-112
A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Pearland, Texas, ("City")
responding to the application of Centerpoint Energy Resources Corp.,
Texas Coast Division, to increase rates under the Gas Reliability
Infrastructure Program; suspending Centerpoint's proposed effective date
for forty-five days; authorizing the City to continue to participate in a
coalition of cities known as the "Texas Coast Utilities Coalition" of cities;
determining that the meeting at which the resolution was adopted complied
with the Texas Open Meetings Act; making such other findings and
provisions related to the subject; and declaring an effective date.
WHEREAS: on or about March 28, 2019 CenterPoint Energy Resources Corp., Texas
Coast Division ("CenterPoint") filed for an increase in gas utility rates under the Gas Reliability
Infrastructure Program (`GRIP"), resulting in a requested increase in the monthly customer
charges as shown in the table below:
Current Proposed Proposed
Customer 2018 Interim Customer Increase to
Rate Schedules Charge Adjustment Charge Each Bill
R-2096-I-GRIP 2019; $15.96 $1.15 $17.11 $1.15
R-2096-U-GRIP 2019 Per customer per customer per customer per customer
Residential per month per month per month per month
GSS-2096-I-GRIP 2019; $18.77 $1.75 $20.52 $1.75
GSS-2096-U-GRIP 2019 Per customer per customer per customer per customer
General Service Small per month per month per month per month
GSLV-627-I-GRIP 2019;
GSLV-627-I-GRIP 2019 $197.27 $43.10 $240.37 $43.10
General Service per customer per customer per customer per customer
Large Volume per month per month per month per month
WHEREAS: the City has a responsibility to exercise due diligence with regard to rate
increases of monopoly utilities who operate within its boundaries; and
WHEREAS: the application to increase rates by CenterPoint is complex; and
WHEREAS: it is necessary to suspend the effective date for the increase in rates for
forty-five days, so that the City can assure itself that the data and calculations in CenterPoint's
rate application are in accordance with the Section 104.301 of the Gas Utility Regulatory Act;
and
WHEREAS: the effective date proposed by CenterPoint is May 27, 2019 but a
suspension by the City will mean that the rate increase cannot go into effect prior to July 11,
2019; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS:
RESOLUTION NO. R2019-112
Section 1. That the statements and findings set out in the preamble to this resolution
are hereby in all things approved and adopted.
Section 2. The City suspends the requested effective date by CenterPoint for forty-
five days pursuant to the authority granted the City under Section 104.301 of the Texas Utilities
Code. The City finds that additional time is needed in order to review the data and calculations
that provide the basis for the rate increase application.
Section 3. The City shall continue to act jointly with other cities that are part of a
coalition of cities known as the Texas Coast Utilities Coalition ("TCUC") of cities.
Section 4. The City authorizes the law firm of Herrera Law & Associates, PLLC, to
act (through Alfred R. Herrera) on its behalf in connection with CenterPoint's application to
increase rates.
Section 5. To the extent allowed by law, CenterPoint is ordered to pay the City's
reasonable rate case expenses incurred in response to CenterPoint's rate increase application
within 30 days of receipt of invoices for such expenses to the extent allowed by law.
Section 6. The meeting at which this resolution was approved was in all things
conducted in compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter
551.
Section 7. This resolution shall be effective immediately upon passage.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this the 13th day of May, A.D., 2019.
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REID
MAYOR
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MARIA RODRIGUEZ
DEPUTY CITY SECRETAR
APP OVED AS TO FORM:
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DARRIN M. COKER
CITY ATTORNEY
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