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Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/149203
In business tourism utilities International traffic helps keep numbers up at McCarran PUC staff agrees NV Energy should refund $14.6 million By Richard N. Velotta senior staff writer McCarran International Airport showed modest gains in passenger traffic in June, bringing the half-year total to nearly even with last year. The Clark County Aviation Department reported that 3.7 million passengers used the airport in June, a 1.8 percent increase over June 2012. Gains occurred in domestic, international and air tour segments. International traffic had the biggest percentage increase over last year, at 8.5 percent. All but one of the top five commercial air carriers serving McCarran had percentage increases over June 2012. Market leader Southwest Airlines was up 2.4 percent to 1.5 million passengers while No. 4 American and No. 5 Allegiant Air had impressive gains of 9.8 and 8.8 percent, respectively. Only No. 3 United Airlines showed a decline among the top five for the month, with a 6.2 percent drop to 316,600 passengers. United has fewer By Andrew Doughman staff writer flights and smaller planes on its Las Vegas routes than it had a year ago. With seasonal service returning for several carriers and others experiencing double-, triple- and quadruplefigure percentage increases for the month, international flights to and from Las Vegas continue to shine. While four international carriers operating in June 2012 no longer fly their Las Vegas routes, 14 of 15 other airlines had increases for the month. Panama City-based Copa Airlines, which offered its first Las Vegas flights in June 2012, had a 1,062 percent increase to 7,611 passengers. Copa plans to add more Las Vegas flights in December. For the first half of 2013, international traffic is up 6 percent to 1.5 million passengers. Total McCarran traffic for the first six months of 2013 was 20.8 million, a 0.1 percent increase over 2012, which had one extra day due to Leap Year. Two state agencies are arguing that NV Energy should refund its customers about $14.6 million. The state's Bureau of Consumer Protection and staff at the Public Utilities Commission say the utility basically earned too much money last year, so it should give some back to ratepayers. The regulated monopoly has what's called an authorized rate of return, but it's possible it could earn a profit beyond what's allowed by the PUC. Last year, when the company reported $322 million in record profits, it also collected $14.6 million in energy efficiency charges. That's the money the utility charges to recoup what it loses as its customers implement efficiency measures — such as better light bulbs or appliances — to curb their consumption. The law allows the company to get so-called "lost sales compensation" for energy its customers don't use, under the premise that it needs the money to maintain its power infrastructure. "There is much customer frustration at having to provide artificial compensation to utilities for services that are not provided," wrote Dan Jacobsen with the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "Customers would be very frustrated if the company were allowed to retain lost sales compensation based on the company's desire to have even higher profits than authorized." Jacobsen argues that Nevada's customers shouldn't have had to pay lost sales compensation in 2012 because the company had record profits. Refunds for typical residential customers could be about $7. NV Energy makes quarterly adjustments that sometimes result in customers receiving a credit on their next bill, but the commission has never dealt with a refund case of this magnitude, Jacobsen said. AT LAST! 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