Application of Northwestern Bell Telephone

SIMONETT, Justice.

These appeals question whether the Public Utilities Commission properly denied costs to several intervenors in a telephone rate case because their participation had not “materially assisted” the Commission in its deliberations. The court of appeals, in a split decision, reversed the denial and remanded to the Commission to formulate appropriate standards and make adequate findings. We affirm in part and reverse in part the court of appeals’ decision.

In the fall of 1983 Northwestern Bell Telephone Company filed a petition for a general rate increase. The matter was set for a…