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THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION – DW 21-090 – ABENAKI WATER COMPANY, INC. AND AQUARION COMPANY – Joint Petition for Approval of the Acquisition of Abenaki Water Company by Aquarion Company

Jun 4, 2021 by Debra A. Howland New Hampshire

6/4/21

SUPPLEMENTAL ORDER OF NOTICE

On April 30, 2021, Abenaki Water Company, Inc., and Aquarion Company (Abenaki and Aquarion, respectively, or collectively, the Companies) filed a joint verified petition pursuant to RSA 369:8 II and RSA 374:33 for approval of Aquarion’s indirect acquisition of Abenaki, or, alternatively, for a determination that Commission approval is not required.

Abenaki operates in New Hampshire as a regulated public water utility, as defined in RSA 362:2. Abenaki serves approximately 720 customers in Bretton Woods, Bow, Gilford, and Belmont, New Hampshire. Abenaki is wholly owned by its parent company, New England Service Company (NESC), which is a Connecticut corporation. Abenaki currently has a petition pending to increase its rates in Docket No. DW 20-112.  N.H. Admin. R., Puc 203.27(a)(2).

Aquarion is a Delaware corporation and the parent company of Aquarion Water Company. Aquarion Water Company is a Connecticut corporation and the parent company of Aquarion Water Company of New Hampshire, Inc. Aquarion Water Company of New Hampshire, Inc., operates in New Hampshire as a regulated public water utility as defined in RSA 362:2. That water utility serves approximately 9,400 customers in the Towns of Hampton, North Hampton, and Rye.

On April 7, 2021, Abenaki and Aquarion entered into an agreement and plan of merger by which Aquarion will acquire, through a merger, all of the issued and outstanding common stock of NESC. According to the petition, upon the satisfaction of all conditions for the closing, including approval by the Commission, Aquarion will be the holding company and sole stockholder of NESC, and NESC will be a wholly owned direct subsidiary of Aquarion. Abenaki will be an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Aquarion.

The petition and subsequent docket filings, other than any information for which confidential treatment is requested of or granted by the Commission, will be posted to the Commission’s website at http://www.puc.nh.gov/Regulatory/Docketbk/2021/21-090.html.

The filing raises, inter alia, issues related to RSA 369:8, II(b)(1) which provides that Commission approval for the acquisition shall not be required if the Companies demonstrate “that the transaction will not adversely affect rates, terms, service, or operation of the public utility within this state”; RSA 374:33, which provides that no public utility or utility holding company shall directly or indirectly acquire more than 10 percent, or more of the stocks or bonds of any other public utility or public utility holding company doing business in this state “unless the commission finds that such acquisition is lawful, proper and in the public interest”; and whether the contemplated transaction requires approval pursuant to RSA 374:30, which provides that before any “public utility may transfer or lease its franchise, works, or system” the Commission “shall find that it will be for the public good.” Each party has the right to have an attorney represent the party at the party’s own expense.

The Commission held a web-enabled remote prehearing conference, pursuant to N.H. Admin. R., Puc 203.15, on May 14, 2021, at which each party provided a preliminary statement of its position with regard to the petition and any of the issues set forth in N.H. Admin. R., Puc 203.15. Members of the public who wished to access the prehearing conference were allowed to do so.

Following the prehearing conference the Commission by Secretarial Letter dated May 28, 2021, granted intervention requests, approved a procedural schedule, and set a briefing schedule. In the May 28th Secretarial Letter, the Commission directed that this Supplemental Order of Notice be served on all parties to dockets DW 20-112, Abenaki Rate Case, and DW 20-184 Aquarion Rate Case.

Based upon the foregoing, it is hereby

ORDERED, that pursuant to N.H. Admin. R., Puc 203.12, Aquarion and Abenaki shall notify all persons desiring to participate in this proceeding by publishing a copy of this supplemental order of notice on its websites no later than one business day after the date of issue, such publication to be documented by affidavit filed with the Commission on or before June 14, 2021. In addition, the Executive Director shall publish this supplemental order of notice on the Commission’s website no later than one business day after the date of issue; and it is

FURTHER ORDERED, that, the Commission shall serve this supplemental order of notice on the parties to dockets DW 20-112, and DW 20-184; and it is

FURTHER ORDERED, that, consistent with N.H. Admin. R., Puc 203.17 and Puc 203.02, any party seeking to intervene in the proceeding shall file with the Commission a petition to intervene with copies sent to Aquarion, Abenaki, and the Office of the Consumer Advocate on or before, June 14, 2021, such stating the facts demonstrating how its rights, duties, privileges, immunities, or other substantial interests may be affected by the proceeding, consistent with N.H. Admin. R., Puc 203.17.  Pursuant to the secretarial letter issued on March 17, 2020, which is posted on the Commission’s website at

https://www.puc.nh.gov/Regulatory/Secretarial%20Letters/20200317-SecLtr-Temp-Changes-in-Filing-Requirements.pdf, any party seeking to intervene may elect to submit this filing in electronic form; and it is

FURTHER ORDERED, that any party objecting to a petition to intervene shall make said objection on or before June 18, 2021.

By order of the Public Utilities Commission of New Hampshire this fourth day of June, 2021.

Debra A. Howland

Debra A. Howland
Executive Director

Individuals needing assistance or auxiliary communication aids due to sensory impairment or other disability should contact the Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator, NHPUC, 21 S. Fruit St., Suite 10, Concord, New Hampshire 03301-2429; 603-271-2431; TDD Access: Relay N.H. 1-800-735-2964. Notification of the need for assistance should be made one week prior to the scheduled event.

Service List - Docket Related

Docket#: 21-090
Printed: 6/4/2021

Email Addresses

ExecutiveDirector@puc.nh.gov 
cristy.bresson@ffic.com 
slburgess2@comcast.net 
pradip.chattopadhyay@oca.nh.gov 
jessica.chiavara@eversource.com 
jcook@rocketmail.com 
jcranmore@cfmlawfirm.com 
robyn.descoteau@puc.nh.gov 
jdibella@cfmlawfirm.com 
matthew.fossum@eversource.com 
steve.frink@puc.nh.gov 
thomas.getz@mclane.com 
donald.kreis@oca.nh.gov 
NLaChance@NewEnglandServiceCompany.com 
jayson.laflamme@puc.nh.gov 
anthony.leone@puc.nh.gov 
kevin.m.monahan@comcast.net 
dmorrissey@aquarionwater.com 
pmueller@comcast.net 
amanda.noonan@puc.nh.gov 
ocalitigation@oca.nh.gov 
fr8man_1@yahoo.com 
jralston@keeganwerlin.com
F.Ross@puc.nh.gov 
Christa.Shute@oca.nh.gov 
jspeck@cokenortheast.com 
dgstap@comcast.net 
dszabo@aquarionwater.com 
Christopher.tuomala@puc.nh.gov 
dvaughan@newenglandservicecompany.com 
dvenora@keeganwerlin.com eric.wind@puc.nh.gov 

pokidw@myfairpoint.net

Service List - Docket Related

Docket#: 21-112
Printed: 6/4/2021

Email Addresses

ExecutiveDirector@puc.nh.gov 
dobielady43@gmail.com 
cristy.bresson@ffic.com 
douglas.brogan@gmail.com 
mab@nhbrownlaw.com 
slburgess2@comcast.net 
carchia7327@gmail.com 
pradip.chattopadhyay@oca.nh.gov 
ccollette71@gmail.com 
jcook@rocketmail.com 
sjc.planning@gmail.com 
robyn.descoteau@puc.nh.gov 
sfairchild@newenglandservicecompany.com 
steve.frink@puc.nh.gov
alfab_itch@hotmail.com
NLaChance@NewEnglandServiceCompany.com 
jayson.laflamme@puc.nh.gov 
kristenlang21@gmail.com 
anthony.leone@puc.nh.gov 
schnauzer3000@comcast.net 
kevin.m.monahan@comcast.net 
amanda.noonan@puc.nh.gov 
ocalitigation@oca.nh.gov 
fr8man_1@yahoo.com
gmpreul@metrocast.net 
F.Ross@puc.nh.gov 
rudolre@comcast.net 
jared.sadeck@gmail.com 
Christa.Shute@oca.nh.gov 
brumol@metrocast.net 
jspeck@cokenortheast.com 
stephenpstcyr@yahoo.com 
dgstap@comcast.net 
dtinsley131@gmail.com 
Christopher.tuomala@puc.nh.gov 
eric.wind@puc.nh.gov 
pokidw@myfairpoint.net

 

Service List - Docket Related

Docket#: 21-184
Printed: 6/4/2021

Email Addresses

ExecutiveDirector@puc.nh.gov 
Kerry.Britland@eversource.com 
douglas.brogan@gmail.com 
pradip.chattopadhyay@oca.nh.gov 
jessica.chiavara@eversource.com 
dcota@aquarionwater.com 
allen.desbiens@eversource.com 
robyn.descoteau@puc.nh.gov 
matthew.fossum@eversource.com 
steve.frink@puc.nh.gov 
mgearreald@hamptonnh.gov 
david.goyette@puc.nh.gov
al-azad.iqbal@oca.nh.gov 
tklaes@blueridgecs.com 
donald.kreis@oca.nh.gov 
jayson.laflamme@puc.nh.gov 
rlandman@hlinstruments.com 
anthony.leone@puc.nh.gov 
cmcmorran@aquarionwater.com 
dmullinax@blueridgecs.com 
amanda.noonan@puc.nh.gov 
ocalitigation@oca.nh.gov 
justin@nhwaterlaw.com 
F.Ross@puc.nh.gov 
dszabo@aquarionwater.com 
lteixeira@aquarionwater.com 
Christopher.tuomala@puc.nh.gov 
jwalsh@aquarionwater.com 
eric.wind@puc.nh.gov


About Aquarion Water Company

Aquarion Water Company is the public water supply company for more than 750,000 people in 72 cities and towns in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.  It is the largest investor-owned water utility in New England and among the seven largest in the U.S.  Based in Bridgeport, CT, Aquarion has been in the public water supply business since 1857.  Across its operations, Aquarion strives to act as a responsible steward of the environment and to assist the communities it serves in promoting sustainable practices.  Aquarion Water Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eversource.

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