By Emmanuel T. Erediano
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
AMID public outrage over the increasing cost of electricity, Rep. Vincent “Kobre” Aldan said requiring the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. to undergo an audit by an independent third-party expert “is more important now than ever.”
Aldan has introduced House Bill 24-88, which proposes mandating comprehensive independent utility expert audits of CUC and requiring the Commonwealth Public Utilities Commission to review the findings and provide transparency to ensure timely corrective actions and accountability.
The bill states that independent third-party utility expert audits are necessary to validate financial integrity, verify assets and capital planning, test billing and collection controls, and identify deficiencies that materially affect customer bills, system reliability, and public confidence.
In a statement to Variety, Aldan stressed that H.B. 24-88 “does not give CUC a blank check, does not create another bailout, and does not shift more burden on ratepayers. It demands answers.”
He said that before the public is asked to pay more, CUC must prove that its billing is accurate; collections are enforced fairly; government, autonomous, semi-autonomous, commercial, and residential arrears are being pursued; fuel costs passed through the fuel adjustment charge, or FAC, are properly calculated; procurement and contracts are not driving unnecessary costs; assets and inventory are properly tracked; customer deposits are protected; and management failures are not being disguised as unavoidable emergencies.
Aldan said H.B. 24-88 also requires a management letter, validated asset register, plain-language executive summary, CPUC briefing exhibit, ratepayer impact matrix, and a “Top 10 Controls to Fix in 90 Days” list. He said these measures matter because the public deserves more than excuses.
“The public deserves a clear explanation of which failures are costing them money and what specific actions will be taken to stop the bleeding,” the lawmaker said.
Most importantly, he said, H.B. 24-88 requires a corrective action plan with specific actions, responsible owners, deadlines, measurable outcomes, and verification methods. It also requires public dashboard reporting so residents can see whether CUC is actually fixing the problems or merely talking about them.
“That is the difference between a bailout and accountability,” he said. “An audit demands the truth first, then builds the solution.”
CUC reaction
Asked for comment, CUC Chief Financial Officer Betty Terlaje said in a telephone interview on Wednesday that CUC already undergoes independent external audits. She said that, in fact, an ongoing audit of the utility corporation for 2025 is being conducted by an independent external auditing firm.
Terlaje said because CUC receives federal grant funding, it is required to undergo audits by an independent external auditing firm.
The latest audit of CUC’s annual financial statements was received by the Office of the Public Auditor on May 22, 2026. The audit was conducted by Burger Comer & Associates and covered the years ended Sept. 30, 2024 and 2023.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
