Eversource sues Portsmouth in tax dispute
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A judge began hearing evidence Tuesday for a trial about Eversource’s claim that Portsmouth owes it $3.5 million in tax rebates for two years, while a third year’s taxes are also being contested.
Formerly known as Public Service of New Hampshire, Eversource alleges it’s owed the tax rebate due to diminution of the value of its Schiller Station coal-fired plant property through deregulation and auction sale. The lawsuit pertains to the tax years 2015 and 2016, while city assessor Rosann Maurice-Lentz recently said Eversource’s 2017 taxes are also being contested.
Eversource attorney Margaret Nelson began the trial by calling Eric Chung, Eversource’s director of revenue requirements, to the witness stand. Chung testified that property taxes are a cost-driver for the company and its electric rates are based on its costs. He said rates are regulated by federal and state oversight groups, including the state Public Utilities Commission, and expenses are “scrutinized.”