20240312Notice_of_Application_Order_No_36117.pdf

NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 36117 1

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
March 12, 2024
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF VP INC.’S
APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF
PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY
AND TO INCREASE ITS RATES AND
CHARGES FOR WATER SERVICE IN THE
STATE OF IDAHO
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CASE NO. VPI-W-24-01

NOTICE OF APPLICATION

NOTICE OF INTERVENTION
DEADLINE

ORDER NO. 36117

On January 11, 2024, VP Inc. (“Company”) applied for a Certificate of Public Convenience
and Necessity (“CPCN”) to provide water service near Sandpoint, Idaho.1 On February 20, 2024,
the Company amended its Application to also include a request to increase its rates and charges
for water service (“Application”).2
With this Order, the Commission provides notice of the Company’s Application and sets a
deadline for interested parties to intervene.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Company serves 74 residential customers near
Sandpoint in Bonner County, Idaho. It currently operates as un unregulated water corporation.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company currently charges customers $35,
$40, or $45 a month for service depending upon when the customer’s initial connection date. The
Company proposes a rate increase for all its customers to $55 a month.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company asserts the increase is necessary to
cover ongoing expenses for routine operation and allow a 12 percent rate of return.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company filed with the Application a copy of
the customer notice it plans to mail to customers. It also included a legal description and map of
its service area and information about its water rights.

1 The Commission directed the Company to file the Application after finding it was a water corporation subject to
regulation as a public utility in Case No. GNR-W-17-01.
2 Although the proposed tariff the Company included with its amended Application listed an effective date of January
1, 2024 in the footer of the document, Staff does not interpret this as a proposed effective date as the date appears
nowhere else in the body of the amended application.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 36117 2

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 then 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, 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 all proceedings in this case will be held pursuant
to the Commission’s jurisdiction under Title 61 of the Idaho Code.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 36117 3

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 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. Such persons shall also provide the Commission
Secretary with their email address to facilitate further communications.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that after the intervention deadline runs, the
Commission Secretary shall issue a Notice of Parties identifying the parties and assigning exhibit
numbers to each party. Once the Notice of Parties has issued, Commission Staff shall informally
confer with the Company and any intervening parties about how to further process this case and
shall then report back to the Commission on a proposed case schedule.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that persons who would like to present their views
without parties’ rights of participation and cross-examination do not have to intervene but may
present their views by submitting written comments to the Commission.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the following people are designated as the
Company’s representatives in this matter:
Richard A. Villelli
VP Inc.
P.O. Box 1785
Sandpoint, ID 83864
[e-mail]

ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that persons desiring to intervene in this matter must file a
Petition to Intervene no later than 21 days from the service date of this Order. Once the deadline
has passed, the Commission Secretary shall prepare and issue a Notice of Parties.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, after the Notice of Parties has issued, Commission Staff
shall confer with the parties regarding a procedural schedule for this matter including, if necessary,
a hearing in this matter.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 36117 4

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.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 12th day of
March 2024.

ERIC ANDERSON, PRESIDENT

JOHN R. HAMMOND JR., COMMISSIONER

EDWARD LODGE, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:

Monica Barrios-Sanchez
Commission Secretary

I:\Legal\WATER\VPI-W-24-01_CPCN\orders\VPIW2401_NtcApp_Int_at.docx