HomeMy WebLinkAbout20110801_3397.pdfDECISION MEMORANDUM
TO: COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
COMMISSIONER REDFORD
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSION SECRETARY
COMMISSION STAFF
FROM: DON HOWELL
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
DATE: JULY 18, 2011
SUBJECT: STAFF’S RECOMMENDATION TO CLOSE LAST YEAR’S GENERIC WIND
SAR WORKSHOP AND DOCKET, CASE NO. GNR-E-09-03
In August 2009, the Commission opened a generic docket to assess the continued viability
of the Commission’s surrogate avoided resource (SAR) methodology for calculating published avoided
cost rates. As part of the generic docket, the Commission instructed Staff to prepare a “straw man”
wind SAR proposal for review and comment by workshop participants. A public workshop was held
on November 3, 2010, to discuss the straw man proposal and other PURPA issues. After the public
workshop, Staff advised the Commission that it seemed the workshop participants had no desire for
further discussion of the straw man proposal but expressed interest in reviewing other PURPA issues.
On November 5, 2010, Idaho Power Company, Avista Corporation, and PacifiCorp dba
Rocky Mountain Power filed a Joint Petition requesting the Commission initiate a generic
investigation to address various avoided cost issues related to PURPA. Subsequent to the Joint
Petition, the Commission initiated several generic dockets (Case Nos. GNR-E-10-04 (Phase 1); GNR-
E-11-01 (Phase 2); and GNR-E-11-03 (Phase 3)) to examine various avoided cost issues.
Given this turn of events, Staff believes it is appropriate for the Commission to
administratively close the wind SAR docket (Case No. GNR-E-09-03).
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission find it appropriate to close Case No. GNR-E-09-03?
bls/M:GNR-E-09-03_dh