II. Procedure

Mad River Community Hospital (MRCH/complainant) complains that Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E/defendant) has overbilled it for energy consumption in the amount of $76,668.48 and requests that the overbilling be cancelled and MRCH's deposit of $4000 with the Commission be returned to complainant.

PG&E timely answered the complaint, denied any overbilling, and prayed that MRCH's complaint be dismissed with prejudice and MRCH be ordered to pay the disputed energy charges of $76,668.48.

A Scoping Memo and Ruling of Assigned Commissioner was issued on July 13, 1999 in which Administrative Law Judge Orville I. Wright was designated as presiding officer in this proceeding pursuant to Rules 6.3 and 6(b)(3) of the Rules of Practice and Procedure.

Duly noticed public hearings were held in Eureka and San Francisco on August 19 and October 14-15, 1999, and on May 26, 2000. Concurrent briefs were filed on June 23, 2000 at which time the matter was submitted for decision.

The statutory deadline for resolving this case was May 17, 2000 (Pub. Util. Code § 1701.2(d)). This time was extended by Decision (D.) 00-05-044, May 18, 2000 until further order of the Commission.