Tennessee utility board rescinds July order on South Fork-Bristol Bluff merger, keeps oversight open

The Tennessee Board of Utility Regulation voted 7-2 on a special-call meeting to rescind an order from its July meeting that would have guided a merger between the South Fork Utility District and the Bristol Bluff City Utility District. Board staff recommended rescission after South Fork’s general manager, Adam Hale, left his position and South Fork informed the board it would contest the order.

Board staff said rescinding the order does not close the administrative case and that the board will retain oversight of South Fork while monitoring the district’s operations. K. Ross, board staff, told members, “we are requesting and recommending that the board vote to rescind the order from our July meeting.”

Why it matters: The July order had described operational details of a potential merger and included a projected 5% customer cost savings contingent on the merger. Board members said the departure of the manager who led South Fork’s recent financial turnaround changed the circumstances that had informed the earlier order but did not eliminate…