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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20230127News Release.pdf Case No. VEO-W-22-02 Order No. 35670 Contact: Adam Rush Office: (208) 334-0339 E-mail: adam.rush@puc.idaho.gov NEWS RELEASE: Commission will host customer/public workshop on Jan. 31 regarding Veolia Water Idaho application to raise rates BOISE (Jan. 27, 2023) - The Idaho Public Utilities Commission will host a customer and public workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 31, to share information on an application from Veolia Water Idaho to increase rates for water service. The workshop will start at 6:00 p.m. MST and end at 9:00 p.m. MST, or after all customer questions have been answered, whichever comes first. The workshop will provide the public with an overview of the application from Veolia to increase rates. Commission staff will present information on the application, and be available to answer questions. A formal customer/public hearing will be held at a later date to accept testimony that will become part of the formal record. At the workshop on Tuesday evening, staff will be available to answer questions. However, any comments submitted by attendees will not become formal testimony until the customer/public hearing is held at a later date. To participate online, please visit idahogov.webex.com. At this window, please enter meeting number 2452 700 5741 when prompted. There are no dashes between the numbers. At the next window, please enter your name, e-mail address and this password: VEOLIARATECASE. To participate over the phone, please call 1-415-655-0001 and enter meeting number 2452 700 5741. There are no dashes between the numbers. 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. In its application to the commission, Veolia says the proposed changes in rates and charges are just and reasonable. The requested rate of return under the revised rates and charges will be 7.77%, which Veolia says is a fair return on the utility’s investment in property used to provide water service. The revenue gathered by Veolia under its presently authorized rates produces a rate of return of 4.59% based on a historical year ending June 30, 2022. Veolia is asking the commission for additional revenues to recover increased operating expenses and costs associated with plant additions. Veolia said the average residential bill would increase by $0.25 a day or $7.59 per month. The average commercial bill would increase by $0.93 a day or $27.92 each month, and the average public authority bill by $0.85 a day or $25.46 a month. All of Veolia’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. In December of 2021, the commission approved a settlement agreement that allowed SUEZ Water Idaho to acquire the assets of Eagle Water Company. Legacy Eagle Water Company area customer rates will continue to phase-in over time. Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, existing Eagle Water customers’ rates will be set at 50 percent of SUEZ’s approved rates. Each year thereafter on Jan. 1, existing customers’ phase-in rates will increase by approximately 8.33 percent until their rates are 100 percent of SUEZ’s approved rates. For additional information about Veolia’s application, please visit: https://puc.idaho.gov/case/Details/6908.