The Liberty Consulting Group of Quentin, Pa., will conduct a management audit of Iberdrola S.A. and its New York affiliates, including Rochester Gas and Electric and New York State Electric & Gas Corporation.

The state Public Service Commission, which made the announcement Thursday (March 17), said public service law provides for examinations of the management and operations of major electric and gas utilities.

This audit will focus on the Iberdrola companies’ construction program planning and operational efficiency, the PSC said.

On Dec. 16, the PSC authorized the issuance of a request for proposals from independent third-party consultants.

Seven management consulting firms submitted proposals for consideration. Liberty, which will report directly to commission staff, was selected as the most qualified based on expertise and experience, demonstrated understanding of the commission’s objectives and cost.

The total potential cost of the audit could be up to about $1.54 million, the PSC said.

Although Liberty’s focus will be on the construction program planning and operational efficiency of the New York operating utilities, “issues related to corporate governance, distant ownership and affiliate transactions add more complexity than is typically seen in management audits in New York,” the PSC said.

Additional emphasis also will be put on developing cost-benefit analyses to better ensure accountability on both the part of Liberty and the utility implementing the recommendations.

The audit is expected to take several months to complete, PSC spokesman James Denn said.

Liberty provides consulting services to utility managers, executives and regulators, according to its website.

A Rochester company that offers training for environmental workers and a national labor firm are joining forces to recruit workers at a job fair this week for more than 100 positions in the environmental and general construction fields.

The fair is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and may continue for part of Friday at the Staybridge Suites Hotel, 1000 Genesee Street. The fair is aimed at locating workers for contracts in the Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo and Corning areas. M&V Labor Resources has arranged the contracts and Cornerstore Training Institute provides training for the specialized positions, offering a discount to workers recruited through the job fair. The work of removing asbestos and lead, for instance, requires special certifications.

“Although the unemployment rate is high in Rochester, it’s hard to find good qualified workers due to their lack of training,” said Jesus Mendez, president of M&V Labor Resources. Based in Orlando, the company also has an office on Humbolt Street in Rochester and has worked on a number of projects at Eastman Kodak and Syracuse University.

For more information about the job fair, visit www.mvlabor.com or call (407) 217-5989.