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REBUTTAL TESTIMONY
OF MONICA P. HAAS
TO UCAN AND FEA
ON BEHALF OF SAN DIEGO GAS & ELECTRIC COMPANY AND
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAS COMPANY
I. SUMMARY ........................................................................................................... 1
C. Human Resources............................................................................................ 18
D. Legal Division................................................................................................. 23
E. Benefits............................................................................................................ 32
F. Insurance.......................................................................................................... 33
Line of Credit Fees $ 2,588 $ 1,338 $ 1,868 $ 978 $ 450 $ 1,444 $ 1,515
Bank Service Charges 2,579 2,620 2,609 2,202 2,093 2,421 2,770
Other 2 0 1 4 6 3 3
29 $ 5,169 $ 3,958 $ 4,478 $ 3,184 $ 2,549 $ 3,868 $ 4,288
2
3 This projection, using 2006 actuals that have the storm premium increases built
4 in, and asset sales and purchases resolved, illustrates that Sempra’s original 11% growth
5 assumption was valid. The revised forecast is so consistent with Sempra’s original
6 submittal, there is no basis for a reduction. We therefore reject UCAN’s adjustment.
7
8 2. Excess Property Insurance (I-01.04)
9 For this insurance, Sempra has proposed a total Utilities allocation of $4.875
10 million, while UCAN revises the amount to $2.527 million, a reduction of $2.348 million
11 or 48%. UCAN’s recommendation includes a pre-allocation reduction in total test period
12 costs of $1.206 million plus an overall reduction in the cost allocation rates for 2008.
13
14 a) Test Period Costs
15 Like Primary Property Insurance, UCAN bases its recommendations starting with
16 2006 actual premiums, and again Sempra disagrees with rebasing the forecast on
17 unreviewed actuals. UCAN also makes a number of incorrect statements in its report,
18 misinterpreting our filed workpaper presentations of Global’s plant sales and the Palomar
19 addition. Rather than correct every item, we refer instead to their projection starting with
20 2006 actuals that have Palomar added and Global asset sales included.
21 UCAN indicates that property growth is a reasonable basis for estimating future
22 premiums. However, as illustrated in the Primary Property section (I-01.03), UCAN’s
23 2.5% growth rate was based on a flawed assumption. If Sempra’s 11% growth rate,
24 which is based on historical, comparable property values, is applied to UCAN’s
4
5 Additonally, this projection, even with 2006 asset sales and purchases included,
6 continues to show that Sempra’s original 11% growth assumption was valid. The revised
7 forecast is so consistent with Sempra’s original submittal, there is no basis for a
8 reduction. We therefore reject UCAN’s adjustment.
9
10 b) Utility Cost Allocation
11 Excess Property Insurance is currently allocated by covered business units based
12 on their insured property values. UCAN seeks to revise the allocation method for Excess
13 Property by adding “risk factors” in the same manner that the Primary Property allocation
14 has done. UCAN’s calculation reduces the Utilities total allocation rate from 54% to
15 39%, which they think is fair because Global property is inherently riskier than utility
16 property.
17 One of the primary reasons the Primary Property “risk factors” cannot be used
18 to weight Excess Property is that they take into account Business Interruption (BI)
19 insurance which is included in the premiums for Global business units. The Utilities do
20 not take this coverage. And since BI insurance is not an element of Excess Property
21 coverage, those risk factors are not applicable to the Excess Property allocation.
22 Sempra rejects UCAN’s recommendation for this allocation change.
23
24 3. Property Crime Insurance (I-01.05)
25 For this insurance, Sempra has proposed a total Utilities allocation of $453,000,
26 while UCAN revises the amount to $323,000, a reduction of $130,000 or 29%. UCAN’s
SDG&E/SCG Doc #205115 36 Rebuttal: July 2007
1 recommendation includes a pre-allocation reduction in total test period costs of $156,000
2 plus an overall reduction in the cost allocation rates for 2008.
3
4 a) Test Period Costs
5 For the 2006-07 year, Sempra’s Risk Management was able to obtain favorable
6 terms for this policy type, compared to expectations at the time our filing was prepared.
7 Thus, we acknowledge that the forecast for 2008 is likely higher than will be needed to
8 maintain this coverage. Although Sempra disagrees with UCAN’s 2005-2006 averaging
9 methods, in this case, our own new estimate would yield a similar result. Thus we accept
10 UCAN’s adjustment to remove $156,000, which will result in lower allocations of
11 $55,000 to SDG&E and $63,000 to SCG, using the forecast Mutlti-Factor Basic
12 allocation method.
13
14 b) Utility Cost Allocation
15 As discussed already in this testimony, UCAN proposes to revise the forecast year
16 Multi-Factor percentages, reducing allocation percentages to the combined Utilities from
17 75% to 69% in 2008. Sempra finds UCAN’s change to the Multi-Factor elements
18 without merit, and disagrees with any related reductions included in their proposals.
19
20 4. Property Insurance Broker Fees (I-01.07)
21 For the broker fees, Sempra has proposed a total Utilities allocation of $151,000,
22 while UCAN revises the amount to $99,000, a reduction of $52,000 or 34%. UCAN’s
23 recommendation includes a pre-allocation reduction in total test period costs of $82,000
24 plus an overall reduction in the cost allocation rates for 2008.
25
26 a) Test Period Costs
27 The following items are recorded in Cost Center 1100-0407:
28 • Broker Fees for property insurance policies placed in the United States:
29 Sempra pays its broker a fixed fee for brokerage services related to Property
30 Insurance policies placed in the United States. This fee of $200,000 has not
31 changed for past several years and Sempra does not forecast any increase for
8
9 Although Sempra generally disagrees with the use of 2006 recorded data, we have
10 included it here as a reference point for our revised forecast. UCAN’s proposal of
11 averaging 2005 and 2006 premiums is short-sighted. Their approach would only allow
12 Sempra a recovery that is less than its 2006 actual expense, in an environment where
13 premiums are clearly rising. Based on the trend shown in this chart, Sempra recommends
14 that a 7 percent annual increase factor be applied between the base year and the test year.
15 Sempra further recommends applying this same 7 percent rate of annual increase to D&O
16 premiums. The following table summarizes our proposed 2008 pre-allocation cost for the
17 liability insurance policies.
Liability Insurance Forecast
Actual Forecast Forecast GRC Forecast Proposed
($ '000) 2006 2007 2008 2008 Reduction
I-02.01 Liability Ins - Songs Nuclear $ 298 $ 320 $ 344 $ 450 $ (106)
I-02.02 Liability Ins - Songs Mesa 231 248 266 426 (160)
I-02.03 Liability Ins - D&O 4,965 5,332 5,727 6,607 (880)
I-02.04 Liability Ins - Excess Liability 11,134 11,958 12,843 14,045 (1,202)
I-02.05 Liability Ins - Ca Excess Workers Comp 1,759 1,889 2,029 1,983
I-02.07 Liability Ins - Employment Practices 2 - - 102 (102)
I-02.08 Liability Ins - Fiduciary Liability 2,057 2,209 2,373 3,515 (1,142)
Total $ 20,446 $ 21,957 $ 23,582 $ 27,128 $ (3,592)
18
19
20 b) Utility Cost Allocation
SDG&E/SCG Doc #205115 40 Rebuttal: July 2007
1 As discussed already in this testimony, UCAN proposes to revise the forecast year
2 Multi-Factor percentages, reducing allocation percentages to the combined Utilities from
3 75% to 69% in 2008. Sempra finds UCAN’s change to the Multi-Factor elements
4 without merit, and disagrees with any related reductions included in their proposals.
5
6 5. SONGS Nuclear Liability (I-02.01)
7 For this insurance, Sempra has proposed a SDG&E allocation of $450,000, while
8 UCAN revises the amount to $298,000, a reduction of $152,000 or 34%.
9 Sempra’s revised forecast of $344,000 would lower the allocation by $106,000 to
10 SDG&E.
11
12 6. SONGS Mesa Liability (I-02.02)
13 For this insurance, Sempra has proposed a SDG&E allocation of $426,000, while
14 UCAN revises the amount to $293,000, a reduction of $133,000 or 31%.
15 Sempra’s revised forecast of $266,000 would lower the allocation by $160,000 to
16 SDG&E.
17
18 7. D&O Insurance (I-02.03)
19 For this insurance, Sempra has proposed a total Utilities allocation of $4.983
20 million, while UCAN revises the amount to $3.538 million, a reduction of $1.445 million
21 or 29%. UCAN’s recommendation includes a pre-allocation reduction in total test period
22 costs of $1.482 million plus an overall reduction in the cost allocation rates for 2008.
23 Sempra proposes to reduce its forecast by $880,000, which would result in lower
24 allocations of $310,000 to SDG&E and $353,000 to SCG, using the forecast Multi-Factor
25 Basic allocation method.
26
27 8. Excess Liability Insurance (I-02.04)
28 For this insurance, Sempra has proposed a total Utilities allocation of $10.593
29 million, while UCAN revises the amount to $7.418 million, a reduction of $3.175 million
30 or 30%. UCAN’s recommendation includes a pre-allocation reduction in total test period
31 costs of $3.298 million plus an overall reduction in the cost allocation rates for 2008.
PAGE
Letter from Marsh detailing settlement payments (dated May 20, 2005) ........................................... 17
Print Article: CSU and NOAA 2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast ......................................... 20