20210329Notice_of_Application_Order_No_34979.pdf

NOTICE OF APPLICATION
ORDER NO. 34979 1
Office of the Secretary
Service Date
March 29, 2021
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF PICABO WATER
SYSTEM’S APPLICATION FOR
AUTHORITY TO INCREASE ITS RATES
AND CHARGES FOR WATER SERVICE IN
THE STATE OF IDAHO
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CASE NO. PIC-W-21-01

NOTICE OF APPLICATION

SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED
EFFECTIVE DATE

ORDER NO. 34979

On March 8, 2021, Picabo Water System dba Picabo Livestock Co. (“Company”)
applied to increase its rates and charges for water service. The Company proposes a May 1, 2021
effective date.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Company is a Commission-regulated water
corporation serving 35 residential customers and four commercial customers in and around Picabo
in Blaine County, Idaho. The Company provides service under Certificate of Public Convenience
and Necessity No. 220.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company requests an across-the-board
50% rate increase. Specifically, the Company requests the winter residential flat rate increase from
$22 per month to $33 per month, the summer flat rate increase from $41 per month to $62 per
month; and the commercial flat rate increase from $37 per month to $55 per month.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED the Company asserts this increase is necessary
because the Company has not received a rate increase in over 25 years, and the “system has
experienced losses for years.” Application at 2. The Company also notes it must soon make several
capital expenditures, including drilling a new well, installing a ¼ mile of power, and painting the
interior of its 50,000-gallon storage tank.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company asserts it mailed notice of its
Application with customer bills on March 1, 2021. As part of its Application, the Company
provided a copy of that notice and a copy of the notice that appeared in the local newspaper. See
Application, Exhibit 10.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
ORDER NO. 34979 2
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Application and supporting documentation
have been filed with the Commission and are available for public inspection during regular
business hours at the Commission’s office. These documents are also available on the
Commission’s web site at www.puc.idaho.gov. Click on the “WATER” icon, select “Open Cases,”
and click on the case number as shown on the front of this document.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission has designated this case as
a general rate case. As such, the Company’s intrastate revenue requirement, and every component
of it, both rate base and expense, are at issue. The Commission may grant, deny, or modify the
revenue requirement requested and may find a revenue requirement different from that proposed
by any party is just, fair, and reasonable. IDAPA 31.01.01.124.01.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all of the Company’s retail rates and charges,
both recurring and non-recurring, including those of special contract customers, are at issue, and
every component of every existing and proposed rate and charge is at issue. The Commission may
approve, reject, or modify the rates and charges proposed and may find that rates and charges
different from those proposed by any party are just, fair, and reasonable. IDAPA 31.01.01.124.02.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission may approve, reject, or
modify existing or proposed relationships between and among rates and charges within, between,
or among customer classes or rate groupings and may approve, reject, or modify existing or
proposed relationships among and between customer classes or rate groupings. Id.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission may abolish, reduce, or create
rate blocks or categories of rates and charges, abolish, create, or reduce components of rates and
charges, abolish, reduce, or create customer classes or rate groupings, and abolish, reduce, or create
absolute or relative differences among and between existing classes or rate groupings of customers.
Id.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the tariffs, practices, rules, and regulations,
service, instrumentalities, equipment, facilities, classifications, and customer relations of the utility
are at issue, and the Commission may address any of them in its order. Id.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission has jurisdiction over the
Company, its filing, and the issues pertaining to this case pursuant to Title 61 of the Idaho Code
and specifically Idaho Code §§ 61-501, -502, -507, -520, -523, and -622 .
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
ORDER NO. 34979 3
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all proceedings in this matter will be conducted
pursuant to the Commission’s Rules of Procedure, IDAPA 31.01.01.000 et seq.
SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE
The Company filed its Application on March 8, 2021 and proposes a May 1, 2021
effective date. The Commission finds the Company’s proposed effective date does not provide
adequate time for Commission Staff and interested persons to evaluate the Company’s proposal.
Pursuant to Idaho Code § 61-622, the Commission suspends the proposed changes for thirty (30)
days and five months or until the Commission enters an order accepting, rejecting, or modifying
the proposed rate increases.
O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the May 1, 2021 effective date that the Company
proposes for its rate increases is suspended for 30 days plus five months or until the Commission
enters an earlier order accepting, rejecting, or modifying the proposed rate increases.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that parties should continue to comply with Order No.
34781, issued September 17, 2020. All pleadings should be filed with the Commission
electronically and shall be deemed timely filed when received by the Commission Secretary. See
Rule 14.02. Service between parties should also be accomplished electronically. Voluminous
discovery-related documents may be filed and served on CD-ROM or a USB flash drive.
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NOTICE OF APPLICATION
ORDER NO. 34979 4
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 29th day
of March 2021.

PAUL KJELLANDER, PRESIDENT

KRISTINE RAPER, COMMISSIONER

ERIC ANDERSON, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Jan Noriyuki
Commission Secretary

I:\Legal\WATER\PIC-W-21-01\Orders\PICW2101_ntc_of_App_mhdh.docx