4. Requirements for an Award of Compensation

Intervenors who seek compensation for their contributions in Commission proceedings must file requests for compensation and meet the statutory requirements for the grant of such awards pursuant to Sections 1801-1812. An intervenor must first establish eligibility to participate by a showing, among other things, that it is a "customer" as defined in Section 1802(b) and then, must make a "substantial contribution" to the Commission's decision. Section 1802(h) provides:

"Substantial contribution" means that, in the judgment of the commission, the customer's presentation has substantially assisted the commission in the making of its order or decision because the order or decision has adopted in whole or in part one or more of the factual contentions, or specific policy or procedural recommendations presented by the customer. Where the customer's participation has resulted in a substantial contribution, even if the decision adopts that customer's contention or recommendations only in part, the commission may award the customer compensation for all reasonable advocate's fees, reasonable expert fees, and other reasonable costs incurred by the customer in preparing or presenting that contention or recommendation."