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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20070116_1798.pdfDECISION MEMORANDUM TO:COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER COMMISSIONER SMITH COMMISSIONER HANSEN COMMISSION SECRETARY COMMISSION STAFF LEG AL FROM:DONOV AN E. WALKER DATE:JANUARY 10,2007 SUBJECT:IDAHO POWER'S PETITION FOR A PERMANENT EXEMPTION FROM UCRR 201.3 AS APPLIED TO TIME-VARIANT PRICING SERVICE, CASE NO. IPC-06-30. On December 1 , 2006 , Idaho Power Company filed a Petition requesting a permanent exemption from Utility Customer Relations Rule (UCRR) 201.03 , IDAPA 31.21.01.201.03 , as it applies to all current and future time-variant pricing services. UCRR 201.03 requires that the beginning and ending meter readings appear on customer billings. The Commission issued a Notice of Application and Modified Procedure on December 19, 2006, setting a comment deadline of January 8, 2007. The only comments received were those of Staff. Staffrecommended approval of the Company s request. THE PETITION Idaho Power currently has three tariff schedules with time-variant pricing based on usage data collected by Advanced Meter Reading (AMR) systems. Schedule 19 is available to large commercial customers with metered demand of 1 000 kW or more per billing period. Schedules 4 and 5 are voluntary pilot programs, the Energy Watch and Time-of-Day Pilot Programs, available to residential customers in the Emmett Valley until April 1 , 2007. The Company states that it uses meter data management systems (MOMS) provided by a third-party vendor, and the MOMS is not designed in such a way that the beginning and ending meter readings can be displayed on customer s bills. The Company does not believe it is the best use of resources to modify the MOMS to enable the display of the beginning and ending meter reading on the monthly bills of those participating in time-variant pricing options. DECISION MEMORANDUM Idaho Power states that it has not received any inquiries from customers regarding their beginning and ending monthly meter readings. Customer bills currently display the total metered energy consumption broken into time periods as well as other data required by UCRR 201. The Company states that its customer service representatives have access to the beginning and ending meter read information, and can directly assist customers should a dispute or inquiry arIse. The Company requests a permanent exemption from the requirement of displaying the monthly beginning and ending meter reading, in order to cost-effectively accommodate the technological advances in meter reading and billing made possible by AMR. It states that such an exemption will allow the Company to make additional time-variant pricing services available in the future without requesting additional limited waivers. ST AFF COMMENTS Staff reported that the Company had previously been granted a temporary waiver of UCCR 201.03 as it applies to customers with time-variant pricing service, Schedules 4, 5, and 19. Order No 29834. This temporary waiver was to expire on December 31 , 2006, and was extended by the Commission pending the outcome of this case. Staff reported that the Commission s Consumer Assistance Staff has not received any mqumes or complaints about the lack of beginning and ending meter readings, since the exception has been in effect. The beginning and ending meter data is available to the Company, and the Company has committed to provide this information to customers upon their request. Staff stated that granting this exemption will allow the Company to make additional time-variant pricing services available in the future without requesting additional limited waivers. recommended approval of the Company s request. Staff COMMISSION DECISION Does the Commission wish to approve the Company s Petition to grant a permanent exemption from UCRR 201.03, requiring that beginning and ending meter readings appear on customer billings, as it applies to all current and future time-variant ricing services? DECISION MEMORANDUM