Commissioner David Clark opened the Utah Public Service Commission’s public-witness hearing at about 1:00 p.m., saying, “We are here this afternoon, in accordance with a notice of public witness hearing in docket number 25-R-318-01.” The hearing addressed proposed rulemaking related to Utah Code Sections 54-26-101 to 54-26-901 and a provision that would require the commission to impose and collect a fee from each large-load customer who submits a large-scale service request.

Clark told the room the purpose of the fee “is to cover the cost of retaining qualified consultants and experts by the Public Service Commission, the Division of Public Utilities, and the Office of Consumer Services.” He said those consultants would evaluate large-scale service requests, large-load contracts, and other reasonable costs incurred in proceedings and evaluations pertaining to large-scale electric service requirements.

Patricia E. Schmidt, assistant attorney general, entered an appearance for the Division of Public Utilities. Robert Moore, assistant attorney general, entered an appearance for the Office of Consumer Services. Both counsel indicated they had no preliminary matters to raise.

Commissioner Clark noted the absence of Chair Jerry Fenn, saying the chair would review the recording of the proceedings. With no members of the public in the hearing room to testify, Clark recessed the proceeding until 1:30 p.m. to allow anyone running late an opportunity to appear. The commission reconvened at 1:30 p.m., again found no one present to address the commission, and adjourned the hearing.

No fee amount, schedule, or collection mechanics were announced during the hearing; those details were not specified on the record. The proceeding focused on the procedural step of taking public testimony on the proposed rulemaking; no formal votes, motions, or directives substantively altering the proposed rule were made at the hearing.