2 BEFORE THE MICHIGAN PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION. 3 In the matter of the application of MIDWEST ENERGY COOPERATIVE (i) for a

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1 1 1 STATE OF MICHIGAN 2 BEFORE THE MICHIGAN PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION 3 In the matter of the application of MIDWEST ENERGY COOPERATIVE (i) for a Case U R 4 power supply cost recovery reconciliation proceeding and (ii) for a TIER 5 Ratemaking mechanism review, both for Volume 1 the 12-month period ended December 31, / 8 In the matter of the application of THUMB ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE (i) for a Case U R 9 power supply cost recovery reconciliation proceeding and (ii) for a TIER 10 Ratemaking mechanism review, both for Volume 1 the 12-month period ended December 31, / 13 PREHEARING 14 Proceedings held in the above-entitled 15 matter before Mark E. Cummins, Administrative Law Judge 16 with MAHS, at the Michigan Public Service Commission, West Allegan Street, Nisbet Room, Lansing, Michigan, 18 on Wednesday, May 28, 2014, at 9:06 a.m. 19 APPEARANCES: 20 THEODORE J. GREELEY, ESQ. Dykema Gossett, PLLC 21 Capitol View 201 Townsend Street, Suite Lansing, Michigan On behalf of Midwest Energy Cooperative and Thumb Electric Cooperative (Continued)

2 2 1 APPEARANCES Continued: 2 MICHAEL J. ORRIS, 3 Assistant Attorney General 6520 Mercantile Way, Suite 1 4 Lansing, Michigan On behalf of Michigan Public Service Commission Staff REPORTED BY: Marie T. Schroeder, CSR

3 3 1 Lansing, Michigan 2 Wednesday, May 28, :06 a.m (Hearing commenced pursuant to due notice.) 6 JUDGE CUMMINS: This is the time and 7 place set for the prehearing conferences in Case Nos. 8 U R and U R, which involves requests by 9 Midwest Energy Cooperative and Thumb Electric Cooperative 10 respectively for both a power supply cost recovery 11 reconciliation and a Times Interest Earned Rate 12 ratemaking mechanism review. All of these cover the calendar year. 14 I'm Mark Cummins, the Administrative Law 15 Judge assigned to this matter. Would counsel enter their 16 appearances for the record, please, beginning with the 17 Applicant. 18 MR. GREELEY: Theodore Greeley on behalf 19 of Midwest Energy Cooperative and Thumb Electric 20 Cooperative. 21 MR. ORRIS: Good morning. Assistant 22 Attorney General Michael Orris on behalf of Staff of the 23 Michigan Public Service Commission. 24 JUDGE CUMMINS: Thank you very much. Mr. 25 Greeley, could you walk us through the status of the

4 4 1 notice that was provided in both of these cases, please. 2 MR. GREELEY: Yes, your Honor. With 3 regard to Thumb, we published notice of hearing in the 4 May issue of Country Lines and also mailed notice of 5 hearing on May 6, I believe we are in compliance 6 with the notice requirements and ask that your Honor find 7 us in compliance. 8 With respect to Midwest, we published 9 notice of hearing also in the May issue of Country Lines 10 and mailed notice of hearing on May 8, 2014, and again we 11 would ask that your Honor find us in compliance. 12 JUDGE CUMMINS: Very well. Any objection 13 from the Staff? 14 MR. ORRIS: No, your Honor. 15 JUDGE CUMMINS: That being the case, we 16 find you in compliance. I know there was an issue with 17 regard to a few thousand dollars in one of the notices. 18 I think that was in Thumb. It actually -- Because it's 19 being rolled in, I don't know that that causes us any 20 issues at this point, unless either of the two of you 21 disagree. 22 MR. GREELEY: I don't think so, your 23 Honor. 24 MR. ORRIS: I don't think so at this 25 point.

5 5 1 JUDGE CUMMINS: Very well. That being 2 the case, I find notice to be adequate in this matter. 3 The record should reflect that although 4 they were due on May 21st, no petitions to intervene were 5 filed in either of these proceedings. It should further 6 be noted that no one present today wants to make a Rule Statement of Position. 8 That being the case, the only remaining 9 matter to address is with regard to scheduling. 10 With regard to this matter, the parties 11 have come to any agreement on concurrent schedules for 12 both of these cases. The record should reflect I have 13 also agreed to that proposed schedule. Mr. Orris, would 14 you walk us through that proposed schedule, please. 15 MR. ORRIS: Certainly, your Honor. Staff 16 testimony would be due on July 30, All of these 17 dates are Rebuttal testimony would be due 18 August 27. Motions to strike, September 10. Responses 19 to motions, September 17. Cross-examination would be 20 held on October 7 and 8. Initial briefs, October Reply briefs, November 13. And a PFD target date 22 December With respect to discovery, the proposal 24 is for 14 calendar days best efforts turnaround until 25 July 30, and seven calendar days best efforts thereafter.

6 6 1 JUDGE CUMMINS: Very well. Any problem 2 with the schedule? 3 MR. GREELEY: No, your Honor. 4 JUDGE CUMMINS: Very well. I guess what 5 that leaves us simply with is me noting for the record 6 that what I have advised the parties of is that I tend to 7 do a 14-day exception period and 10-day reply period 8 following issuance of the PFD. Those dates will be 9 specified in the notice of PFD. We will adjust them, 10 since we will be getting into the holidays, accordingly 11 to try and work with both parties if they need it. 12 In addition -- and Mr. Orris I know 13 you're fully aware of this -- but Mr. Greeley, this is 14 something that is probably peculiar with me, that I would 15 like to have hard copy versions of all prefiled 16 testimony, all exhibits, all motions, all briefs, 17 exceptions, reply briefs. All of that makes it easier 18 for me to work from and, more important, it makes it 19 easier to actually operate in the hearing room. I would 20 like to be put on the list of all of the filings 21 as they are submitted. It helps me keep track of how 22 fast the case is proceeding and how well things are being 23 run. 24 I will not need, however, any of the 25 discovery information unless it's attached to a motion.

7 7 1 I don't want to see interrogatories, I don't want to see 2 replies to interrogatories. I think that's between the 3 parties themselves unless there is a motion to compel; 4 attach them at that point in time. All you need to do is 5 simply mail a copy at the time of the electronic filing. 6 There is no need to send one FedEx or that sort of thing. 7 We have enough time built in the schedule that that 8 shouldn't pose a problem whatsoever. 9 Anything else we need to discuss today? 10 MR. ORRIS: Nothing further from the 11 Staff. 12 MR. GREELEY: No, nothing from the 13 Applicants, your Honor. 14 JUDGE CUMMINS: All right. That being 15 the case, we stand adjourned to October 7, 2014 at 9:00 16 a.m., at which point we will take up any motions to 17 strike and then we will do cross-examination of all 18 witnesses right after. Thank you all for your help. 19 MR. GREELEY: Thank you, your Honor. 20 (At 9:16 a.m., the hearing adjourned to 21 October 7, 2014, for cross-examination.)

8 8 1 2 C E R T I F I C A T E 3 I, Marie T. Schroeder (CSR-2183), do 4 hereby certify that I reported in stenotype the 5 proceedings had in the within-entitled matter, that 6 being Case Nos. U R and U R, before Mark E. 7 Cummins, Administrative Law Judge with MAHS, at the 8 Michigan Public Service Commission, Lansing, Michigan, on 9 Wednesday, May 28, 2014; and do further certify that the 10 foregoing transcript, consisting of eight (8) pages, is a 11 true and correct transcript of my stenotype notes Marie T. Schroeder, CSR-2183 Notary Public, Oakland County Grand River Avenue Farmington, Michigan Dated: June 9,