20190523notice_of_petition_order_no_34339.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
May 23,2019
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF SUEZ WATER IDAHO )CASE NO.SUZ-W-19-01
INC.'S PETITION FOR AN EXEMPTION )
FROM UTILITY CUSTOMER RELATIONS )NOTICE OF PETITION
RULES 311(4)AND (5))
)NOTICE OF
)MODIFIED PROCEDURE
)ORDER NO.34339
On May 6,2019,SUEZ Water Idaho Inc.("SUEZ"or "Petitioner")filed a Petitioni
making four requests for relief.First,SUEZ petitions the Commission for an Order exempting it
from the Utility Customer Relations Rules ("UCRR")311.04 and .05,IDAPA 31.21.01.311.04
and 05.Second,SUEZ asks that the exemption not become effective sooner than four months after
the Commission issues its Order granting the exemption.Third,SUEZ petitions the Commission
to approve SUEZ's proposal to waive all customer Western Union payment processing fees by
paying those convenience fees on behalf of its customers,and includingthis cost in future general
rate cases.Finally,SUEZ wishes to modify Schedule 5 ("Miscellaneous Fees and Charges")of its
tariff to remove the $15.00 Field Collection Trip Charge.
SUEZ asks that that the Commission process its Petition by Modified Procedure.With
this Order,the Commission provides notice of the Petition and of Modified Procedure,and invites
interested parties to comment.
NOTICE OF PETITION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that with this Petition,the Petitioner asks the
Commission to exempt it from the requirements of UCRR 311.04 and .05.In summary,these rules
require a utility employee to try to make face-to-face contact immediately before terminating the
customer's service for nonpayment to:(1)give the customer a final chance to avoid termination
of service by paying the bill;or (2)if the customer does not pay notify the customer about how the
customer can have service reconnected.The rules state:
SUEZ originally filed its Petition on April 17,2019.After consulting with Commission Staff,however,SUEZ filed
a modifiedPetition on May 6,2019 to clarify the scope of its requests.
NOTICE OF PETITION
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDERNO.34339 1
311.TIMES WHEN SERVICE MAY BE TERMINATED -
OPPORTUNITY TO AVOID TERMINATION OF SERVICE (Rule 311).
04.Opportunity to Prevent Termination of Service.Immediately
preceding termination of service,the employee designated to terminate service
shall identify himself or herself to the customer or other responsible adult upon
the premises and shall announce the purpose of the employee's presence.This
employee shall have in his or her possession the past due account record of the
customer and shall request any available verification that the outstanding bills
are satisfied or currentlyin dispute before this Commission.Upon presentation
of evidence that outstanding bills are satisfied or currentlyin dispute before this
Commission,service shall not be terminated.The employee shall be authorized
to accept full payment,or,at the discretion of the utility,partial payment,and
in such case shall not terminate service.Nothing in this rule prevents a utility
from proceedingwith termination of service if the customer or other responsible
adult is not on the premises.
05.Notice of Procedure for Reconnecting Service.The utilityemployee
designated to terminate service shall give to the customer or leave in a
conspicuous location at the affected service address,a notice showing the time
of and grounds for termination,steps to be taken to secure reconnection,and
the telephone numbers of utility personnel or other authorized representatives
who are available to authorize reconnection.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that UCRR 9,IDAPA 31.21.01.009 states:"If
unusual or unreasonable hardships result from the application of any [provision of the UCRR],any
utilityor customer may apply to the Commission for,or the Commission on its own motion may
order,a permanent or temporary exemption."
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Petitioner explains that it wants the option
of discontinuing payment-at-the-door practices,and of notifying customers in ways besides
providing mandatory on-site personal or paper notice.The Petitioner seeks the exemption so it
can use advances in metering,communication,and electronic payment technologies to reduce
operating costs and increase the safety of utility employees without sacrificing customer service.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Petitioner maintains that customers will not
be harmed if the exemption is granted because customers would still receive multiplenotices
before disconnection.If the exemption is granted,the Petitioner proposes to increase the number
of auto-dialer customer notifications to help customers avoid a service disconnection.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Petitioner requests that the proposed
exemption from UCRR 311.04 and .05 take effect no sooner than four months after the
NOTICE OF PETITION
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDER NO.34339 2
Commission issues its Order granting the exemption.This will give the Petitioner time to notify
its customers of the approved changes to its customer notification,payment,and disconnection
process prior to the exemption becoming effective.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Petitioner requests that the Commission
approve SUEZ's proposal to waive all customer Western Union payment processing fees by
paying those convenience fees on behalf of its customers,and includingthis cost in future general
rate cases.The Petitioner's third-partyprocessing fees are summarized below:
Payment Option Current Charge Proposekharge
(if Petition approved)
US Bank (downtownBoise -cash)$5.00 $5.00
Call Western Union $1.99 No cost
SUEZ website (credit card)$1.99 No cost
eBill (credit card)$1.99 No æst
Western Union Pay Station (cash)$1.50 No æst
Western Union Pay Station (check)$1.00 No cost
US Mail (first class stamp)$0.50 $0.50
US Bank (downtown Boise -No cost No ost
check)
Victory Road office (checks only)No cost No ost
Victory Road night drop (check No cost No ost
only)
E-pay direct debit (ACH)No cost No ost
eBill (ACH)No cost Noi>st
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Petitioner requests that the Commission
modify Schedule 5 ("Miscellaneous Fees and Charges")of SUEZ's tariff to remove the $15.00
Field Collection Trip Charge.This request is related to the Petitioner's request to be exempted
from UCRR 311.04 and .05.As SUEZ personnel would no longer accept payments of past due
bills from a customer at the time of disconnection of service,the Petitioner maintains that the Field
Collection Trip Charge would be obsolete.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Petition and supporting testimony have
been filed with the Commission and are available for public inspection during regular business
NOTICE OF PETITION
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDER NO.34339 3
hours at the Commission's office.The Petition is also available on the Commission's website at
www.puc.idaho.gov.Click on the "File Room"tab at the top of the page,scroll down to "Water
Cases,"and then click on the case number as shown on the front of this document.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all proceedings in this case will be held
pursuant to the Commission's jurisdictionunder Title 61 of the Idaho Code.The Commission may
enter any final order consistent with its authority under Title 61.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all proceedings in this matter will be conducted
pursuant to the Commission's Rules of Procedure,IDAPA 31.01.01.000et seq.
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission has determined that the public
interest may not require a formal hearing in this matter and will proceed under Modified Procedure
(that is,persons will present their views through written comments)pursuant to Rules 201 through
204 of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission's Rules of Procedure,IDAPA 31.01.01.201 through
.204.The Commission notes that Modified Procedure and written comments have proven to be
an effective means for obtaining public input and participation.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that persons desiring to state a position on this
Petition must file a written comment in support or opposition with the Commission no later than
July 18,2019.A comment must contain a statement of reasons supporting the comment.In
addition,persons desiring a hearing must specifically request a hearing in their written comments
and explain why they believe that Modified Procedure should not be used to process this case.
Written comments may be filed by mailing them to the Commission and the Petitioners at the
addresses reflected below:
Commission Secretary Mr.Marshall Thompson
Idaho Public Utilities Commission SUEZ Water Idaho Inc.
P.O.Box 83720 8284 West Victory Rd.
Boise,ID 83720-0074 Boise,ID 83709
Street Address for Express Mail:
Michael C.Creamer
472 W.Washington Street Givens Pursley LLP
Boise,ID 83702-5918 601 W.Bannock St.
Boise,ID 83702
P.O.Box 2720-83701
NOTICE OF PETITION
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDER NO.34339 4
These comments should contain the case caption and case number shown on the first page of this
document.Comments may also be filed by e-mail.Persons desiring to submit comments via e-
mail may do so by accessing the Commission's home page located at .Click
the "Utility Case Comment or Question Form"under the "Consumers"tab,and complete the
comment form using the case number as it appears on the front of this document.Comments filed
by e-mail must also be sent to the Petitioner at the e-mail addresses listed above.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Petitioner must file replycomments,if any,
no later than July 25,2019.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that if no written comments or protests are received
within the time limit set,the Commission will consider this matter on its merits and enter its Order
without a formal hearing.If written comments are received within the time limit set,the
Commission will consider them and,in its discretion,may set the same for formal hearing.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that this case be processed under the Commission's Rules
of Modified Procedure,Rules 201-204 (IDAPA 31.01.01.201-.204).Persons wishing to file
comments or protests in this matter must do so by July 18,2019.The Petitioner must file its reply
comments,if any,by July25,2019.
NOTICE OF PETITION
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDER NO.34339 5
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise,Idaho this
day of May 2019.
P L KJE AÑÔER,PkESI NT
KRIS INE RAPER,COMMISSIONER
ERIC ANDERSON,COMMISSIONER
Diane M.Hanian
Commission Secretary
I:\Legal\WATER\SUZ-W-19-01\Orders\SUZW1901NtcPtn_NicMod_mh.doex
NOTICE OF PETITION
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDER NO.34339 6