HomeMy WebLinkAbout20221020Notice_of_Application_Order_No_35569.pdfNOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35569 1
Office of the Secretary
Service Date
October 20, 2022
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION
OF VEOLIA WATER IDAHO INC. FOR
AUTHORITY TO INCREASE ITS RATES
AND CHARGES FOR WATER SERVICE IN
THE STATE OF IDAHO
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
CASE NO. VEO-W-22-02
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF
PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE
NOTICE OF
INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35569
On September 30, 2022, Veolia Water Idaho, Inc. (“Company” or “Veolia”) filed an
Application requesting authorization to raise the rates it charges for water service. The Company
requests an October 31, 2022, effective date.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that Veolia is a Commission-regulated water corporation
that provides service to Boise City and surrounding areas and currently serves approximately
105,000 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 Veolia’s most recent general rate case was two
years ago in Case No. SUZ-W-20-02.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that Veolia has submitted proposed Schedule Numbers
1, 1B, 2, 3, and 4 setting forth the proposed changes to be made to customers rates.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that Veolia represents that if the Commission approves
the request in full, customer bills would be adjusted by 24.1% and Company revenues would
increase by 23.4% or $12.1 million per year.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that Veolia represents that the proposed rate of return
under the revised rates and charges will be 7.77%.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that Veolia represents that the revenue realized under
its presently authorized rates produces a rate of return of 4.59% based on a historical year ending
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35569 2
June 30, 2022. Veolia states that it seeks additional revenues to recover increased operating
expenses and costs associated with plant additions, and to produce a fair rate of return.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that Veolia is proposing a revision to its Rules and
Regulations Governing the Rendering of Water Service to reflect the name change from Suez
Water Idaho Inc. to Veolia Water Idaho, Inc.; to eliminate 1¼-inch meters reference from the tariff;
to revise the service line connection from one-inch or smaller to two-inch or smaller according to
NFPA 13D standards; and to implement a Distribution System Improvement Charge.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that Veolia proposes to implement the requested
increase in revenue by a uniform percentage increase to all rate elements, except for private fire
rates which would see no increase.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that Veolia represents that the average residential bill
would increase by $0.25 a day or $7.59 per month, the average commercial bill by $0.93 a day or
$27.92 a month, and the average public authority bill by $0.85 a day or $25.46 a month. Legacy
Eagle Water Company area customer rates will continue to phase-in over time. The existing Eagle
average residential bill would increase by $0.15 a day or $4.43 per month, the average commercial
bill by $0.54 a day or $16.29 a month, and the average public authority bill by $0.50 a day or
$14.85 a month.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that Veolia represents that notice to its customers is
being accomplished by news media releases simultaneously with the filing of this Application and
by an individual notice mailed to each customer, that copies of the press release and customer
notice are attached to this Application; and that a copy of the Application and proposed rate
schedules are available for public inspection at its office at 8248 West Victory Road, Boise, Idaho,
at any time during office hours.
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 website 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
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35569 3
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 Veolia, 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.
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that Veolia filed its Application on September 30,
2022, and proposed an October 31, 2022, effective date. The Commission finds that Veolia’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
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35569 4
suspends the proposed changes for thirty (30) days and five (5) 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 71-73, IDAPA 31.01.01.072-073. 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.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the following persons are designated as the
Company’s representatives in this matter:
Preston N. Carter
Morgan D. Gooding
Givens Pursley LLP
601 W. Bannock St.
Boise, ID 83702
prestoncarter@givenspursley.com
morgangooding@givenspursley.com
David Njuguna
Manager-Regulatory Business
Veolia Water M&S
461 From Road, Suite 400
Paramus, NJ 07052
david.njuguna@veolia.com
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:
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35569 5
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PO BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0074
Telephone: (208) 334-0338
Facsimile: (208) 334-3762
Email: secretary@puc.idaho.gov
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the October 31, 2022, effective date that Veolia proposes
for its rate increases is suspended for thirty (30) days plus five (5) 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 71-73, IDAPA 31.01.01.071-073, 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.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that parties comply with Order No. 35375, issued April 21,
2022. Generally, all pleadings should be filed with the Commission electronically and will be
deemed timely filed when received by the Commission Secretary. See Rule 14.02. Service between
parties should continue to be accomplished electronically when possible. However, voluminous
discovery-related documents may be filed and served on CD-ROM or a USB flash drive.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35569 6
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 20th day of
October 2022.
ERIC ANDERSON, PRESIDENT
JOHN CHATBURN, COMMISSIONER
_________________________________________
JOHN R. HAMMOND JR., COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:
Jan Noriyuki
Commission Secretary
I:\Legal\WATER\VEO-W-22-02 rates\Orders\VEOW2202_Ntc_App_Int_Susp_cb.docx