20201021Notice_of_Application_Order_No_34819.pdf

NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 34819 1
Office of the Secretary
Service Date
October 21, 2020
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF SUEZ WATER IDAHO
INC.’S APPLICATION FOR AUTHORITY
TO INCREASE ITS RATES AND CHARGES
FOR WATER SERVICE IN IDAHO
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CASE NO. SUZ-W-20-02

NOTICE OF APPLICATION

SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED
EFFECTIVE DATE

NOTICE OF
INTERVENTION DEADLINE

ORDER NO. 34819

On September 30, 2020, SUEZ Water Idaho Inc. (“SUEZ” or “Company”) applied to
increase its rates and charges for water service in Idaho. The Company proposes an October 31,
2020 effective date.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that SUEZ is a Commission-regulated water
corporation that serves about 98,000 customers in Ada County, Idaho. See Idaho Code §§ 61-125
and 61-129. The Company provides service under Amended Certificate of Public Convenience
No. 143. See Idaho Code § 61-526.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that SUEZ asserts it will realize only a 4.09% rate
of return under its current rates, which the Commission authorized in 2015. SUEZ proposes to
increase these rates by $10,160,211—an average of 22.3%. The Company proposes “increases to
all rate elements, excluding miscellaneous service charges and fees, on an across-the-board basis.”
Thompson Direct at 11. SUEZ is not proposing any change to the general tariff design. SUEZ
states that the “expected rate of return under the revised rates and charges will be 7.46%, which is
a fair rate of return on SUEZ Water’s investment in property used and useful in rendering water
service.” Application at 2-3.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that SUEZ asserts the rate increase is necessary in
part “based on $101.8 million in gross plant investment” since the Company’s last proceeding test
year ending November 30, 2015. Thompson Direct at 4-5. The Company notes the increase will
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 34819 2
allow SUEZ “to continue to provide quality service to customers and to improve service by
investing in new and replacement infrastructure.” Id.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company’s proposed tariff changes also
incorporate changes under Commission consideration in Case No. SUZ-W-20-01.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that SUEZ estimates the average residential
customer—one who uses 102,000 gallons of water in a year—would have an annual residential
bill of $435.22 under the proposed rates, excluding Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
fees and city franchise taxes. Currently, the average residential customer has an annual residential
bill of $355.95.
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
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 34819 3
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 SUEZ,
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 .
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
SUEZ filed its Application on September 30, 2020 and proposed and October 31, 2020
effective date. The Commission finds that SUEZ’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.
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that persons desiring to intervene in this matter to
obtain parties’ rights of participation must file a Petition to Intervene with the Commission
pursuant to this Commission's Rules of Procedure 72 and 73, IDAPA 31.01.01.072 and .073.
Persons who wish to intervene as a party must file a Petition to Intervene no later than 21
days after the date of service of this Order. Persons desiring to present their views without
parties' rights of participation do not have to intervene and may present their comments without
prior notification to the Commission or the parties.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission Secretary shall issue a Notice
of Parties after the deadline for intervention has passed. The Notice of Parties shall assign exhibit
numbers to each party in this proceeding.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that once the Notice of Parties is issued,
Commission Staff will informally confer with the parties to discuss a schedule to process this case
and other issues as may be raised by the parties.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 34819 4
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the following persons are designated as the
Company’s representatives in this matter:
Michael C. Creamer
Preston N. Carter
Givens Pursley LLP
601 W. Bannock St.
Boise, ID 83702
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

David Njuguna
Suez Water Management & Services
461 From Road, Suite 400
Paramus, NJ 07052
[e-mail]

YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all hearings and prehearing conferences in this
matter will be held in facilities meeting the accessibility requirements of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (“ADA”). Persons needing the help of a sign language interpreter or other
assistance in order to participate in or to understand testimony and argument at a public hearing
may ask the Commission to provide a sign language interpreter or other assistance at the hearing.
The request for assistance must be received at least five working days before the hearing by
contacting the Commission Secretary at:
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PO BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0074
[phone] (Telephone)
[phone] (FAX)
Email: [e-mail]

O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the October 31, 2020 effective date that SUEZ
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 persons desiring to intervene in this case for the
purpose of obtaining parties’ rights of participation must file a Petition to Intervene with the
Commission, under Rules 72 and 73, IDAPA 31.01.01.72-73, no later than 21 days after the service
date of this Order.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, after the Secretary issues a Notice of Parties,
Staff will informally confer with the parties to discuss the appropriate scheduling of this case.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 34819 5
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.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 21st
day of October 2020.

PAUL KJELLANDER, PRESIDENT

KRISTINE RAPER, COMMISSIONER

ERIC ANDERSON, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Jan Noriyuki
Commission Secretary

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