NV Energy wins $500,000 refund from state Tax Commission

By Cy Ryan

Monday, Aug. 4, 2014 | 4:07 p.m.

CARSON CITY – The state Tax Commission has approved a $500,000 refund of taxes paid by NV Energy, and it could have some impact on rates to electric users in Las Vegas.

The utility overpaid the tax on machinery it had purchased and sought the refund.

Chris Nielsen, Nevada Department of Taxation executive director, told the commission Monday he had informed Alaina Burtenshaw, who chairs the Nevada Public Utilities Commission, about the refund. Nielsen said it could have an impact on rate cases.

The utility is seeking a .09 percent increase in rates, and major hearings on the request by the PUC begin in October.

The refund is not part of the $14.4 million in use tax NV Energy paid on coal shipped into Nevada to fuel its Reid-Gardner power plant. That case is before the Nevada Supreme Court.

The commission denied a request for more than $2.1 million in modified business tax refunds sought by the employee leasing companies of Pay Pro Inc. and AdvanStaff Inc.

Jim Wadhams, attorney for the companies, said they supply the human resources for various companies such as doing the payroll, workers compensation and health insurance. Wadhams argued his clients do not supply workers to the firms.

But the commission agreed with David Pope, senior deputy attorney, that the law was clear that these firms were liable for the modified business tax.