Microdesign Northwest

NRDC requests hourly rates of $175, $185 and $200 for Jim Lazar from Microdesign Northwest for his work in 2002, 2003 and 2004, respectively. Lazar holds a BA and an MA in Economics from Western Washington University and an MPA from the University of Washington. Lazar has over 25-years experience providing technical assistance to local, state, and federal public agencies, public interest groups, industry trade groups, and electric utilities on a variety of topics including revenue requirement, cost of capital, formation of new publicly owned utility systems, electric and gas integrated resource planning, cost of service and rate design, least cost and integrated resource planning, regulatory treatment of excess capacity, subsidiary profits, and regulatory treatment of real estate transactions. In this proceeding, Lazar testified on the impact the temporary or permanent closure of Mohave would have and identified a number of alternatives that could be implemented to supplement or replace the power generated at the facility. He assisted NRDC in analyzing the proposals and testimony of other parties, and was integral to NRDC's recommendation for a study of alternatives.

The 2002 and 2003 requested hourly rates of $175 and $185 for Lazar are the same as those approved by the Commission for William Marcus, a consulting economist for TURN, in D.04-02-017. Given the similarities between these individuals in terms of background, experience and participation, applying the rates approved for Marcus to those requested for Lazar appears reasonable. The requested $200 rate for 2004 is equal to the requested 2003 rate of $185 increased by an 8% escalation factor, per our direction in Resolution ALJ-184.⁸