20050624Press Release.pdf

IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
Case No. UWI-04-, Order No. 29810
June 24, 2005
Contact: Gene Fadness [phone]
Website: www.puc.idaho.eov
Commission suspends ruling in United Water case
Boise - The Idaho Public Utilities Commission is suspending for another 60 days a final decision
on United Water s request for a rate increase. United Water serves about 75,400 customers in
Ada and Canyon counties.
The complex nature of the case and the large discrepancy between what commission staff
proposes for a rate increase and the company s request led the commission to suspend a final
decision to no later than Aug. 29. Originally, a decision was supposed to have been issued by no
later than.June 29.
The commission noted that United Water originally requested a 21.46 percent overall increase
while commission staff recommended a 1.8 percent increase. Since then, the parties have revised
their recommendations, but they still remain far apart with the company recommending a 17.
percent increase, while staff recommends 4.5 percent.
This case involves a large public utility requesting a general rate increase, which necessarily
involves numerous complex and technical issues " the commission said. "In addition to the size
of the requested increase in rates , the complexity of this particular case is compounded by the
fact that there is a large disparity, both in numbers and in methodology, between the company
case and the recommendations of the commission staff.
Much of the disagreement between the staff and company deals with the methodology used to
establish the level of United Water s investment on which it can earn a rate of return.