PUC refuses to disclose proposed order

Friday, March 20, 1998 | 12:47 p.m.

The attorney general's opinion Monday said the PUC must give the public access to drafts of proposed orders it prepares before making final decisions affecting utilities.

Greg Salter, deputy attorney general, wrote the opinion in response to a complaint from the Las Vegas Review-Journal about the PUC.

At a public meeting Thursday, the PUC was scheduled to discuss adoption of alternative forms of regulation for natural gas utilities, such as Southwest Gas Corp.

The commission withdrew the natural gas case and an unrelated matter dealing with a telephone company in northern Nevada, and wouldn't release copies of the draft orders in either case.

The PUC cited advice from its general counsel and its interpretation of the attorney general's opinion.

"While preliminary drafts in these (cases) are in the process of being completed for consideration at a future (meeting), they are currently in a preliminary draft stage," wrote Tony Sanchez III, assistant general counsel to the PUC.

"The PUC's general counsel's office does not believe they are required to be produced pursuant to the Nevada open meeting law, because they are not final drafts," he added.