1. (a) If an applicant utility is unable to obtain concurrence from a competing utility, the commission will appoint a member of its staff as an examiner to conduct a hearing.

2. (b) The staff examiner shall

   1. (1) notice the hearing for a time convenient to all interested parties;
   2. (2) hear all relevant evidence;
   3. (3) record the testimony presented;
   4. (4) within 24 hours after the close of the hearing, issue a decision as to which utility is the most appropriate one to serve the customers;
   5. (5) stay the decision if, within 24 hours after the decision is announced, a party appeals the decision.

3. (c) The criteria to be weighed by the staff examiner in making a decision include

   1. (1) the cost to the utility to provide the service connection;
   2. (2) the cost to be assessed to the customer by the applicant utility;
   3. (3) the proximity of the service connection point to each of the competing utilities' electric distribution facilities; and
   4. (4) the geographical proximity of the service connection to the area generally served by each competing utility.

(Eff. 8/11/76, Register 59; am 6/29/84, Register 90)

Authority: AS 42.05.141, AS 42.05.151, AS 42.05.221