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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20120730_3783.pdfUDA LAW FIRM, P.C. ATTORNEY AT LAW MICHAEL J. UDA, MS 7 WEST 61", AVENUE, SUITE 4E HELENA, MT 59601 TELEPHONE: (406) 457-5311 EMAIL: muda@rnthelena.com July 17, 2012 Jean Jewell Commission Secretary State of Idaho Public Utilities Commission 472 W. Washington 83702 P0 Box 83720 Boise, ID 83720-0074 RE: GNR-E-11-03 Dear Ms. Jewell, —1 Ce.) 0 — rn C) m m Enclosed are the following documents and seven copies of each: Motion for Admission Pro Hac Vice, Affidavit of Michael J. Uda, and Petition for Late Intervention. Sincerely, Cathleen Uda Administrative Assistant cathyuda(àmthelena.com Admitted in Oregon and Montana RE C E V ED J. Kahle Becker (ISB No. # 7408) The Alaska Center 1020 W. Main St. Suite 400 Boise, ID 83702 Telephone: (208) 333-1403 Facsimile: (208) 343-3246 Email: kahlekahlebeckerlaw.com Michael J. Uda' Uda Law Firm, P.C. 7 W. 6th Avenue, Suite 4E Helena, MT 59601 Telephone (406) 457-5311 Facsimile: (406) 422-4255 Email: muda(mthelena.com Attorneys for Mountain Air Projects, LLC. 20.12JIJL 19 PH 3: H UTUJTIES OOM•MSlON BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION IN THE MATTER OF THE ) COMMISSION'S REVIEW OF PURPA ) QF CONTRACT PROVISIONS ) INCLUDING THE SURROGATE ) AVOIDED RESOURCE (SAR) AND ) INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLANNING) (IRP) METHODOLOGIES FOR ) CALCULATING PUBLISHED ) AVOIDED COST RATES ) Case No. GNR-E-1 1-03 MOUNTAIN AIR PROJECTS, LLC'S PETITION FOR LATE INTERVENTION Mountain Air Projects, LLC ("Mountain Air") hereby petitions the Idaho Public Utilities Commission ("Commission") for late intervention in the above-entitled proceeding pursuant to Rules 71 through 75 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, IDAPA 31.01.01.072-.075. In support of this Petition, Mountain Air states as follows: The name and address of Mountain Air is: Mountain Air Projects, LLC 6000 N. Foxtail Way Mr. Uda is admitted in Oregon (OSB No. 914525) and Montana (MT 4170) and has submitted concurrently with this petition a motion for admittance pro hac vice to the Commission with Mr. Becker acting as Idaho counsel. Mr. Uda understands he will not be permitted to participate as legal counsel until the Commission approves the motion pro hac vice for his limited participation in this proceeding. Petition for Late Intervention of Mountain Air Projects, LLC 1 Glenns Ferry, ID 83623 Attn.: Todd Haynes 2.Mountain Air's representatives for the purpose of service of pleadings and other written materials are: J. Kahle Becker, Idaho The Alaska Center 1020 W. Main St. Suite 400 Boise, ID 83702 Telephone: (208) 333-1403 Facsimile: (208) 343-3246 Email: kahlekahlebeckerlav.com Michael J. Uda Uda Law Firm, P.C. 7 W. 6th Avenue, Suite 4E Helena, MT 59601 Telephone (406) 457-5311 Facsimile: (406) 422-4255 Email: muda@rnthelena.com 3.Mountain Air is a subsidiary of Tema Energy USA. Tema is an independent energy company involved in the development, construction, financing and operation of renewable energy projects. The Mountain Air projects are Cold Springs Windfarm, LLC ("Cold Springs"); Desert Meadow Windfarm, LLC ("Desert Meadow"); Hammett Hill Windfarm, LLC ("Hammett Hill"); Mainline Windfarm, LLC ("Mainline"); Ryegrass Windfarm, LLC ("Ryegrass"); and Two Ponds Windfarm, LLC ("Two Ponds") (collectively, the "Mountain Air QFs"). 4.Each of the Mountain Air QFs is a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Mountain Air, and is developing, and will own and operate, wind generation facilities with a gross capacity of 23.0 MW, and an average net output of less than 10 MW per month, that will interconnect to the Idaho Power transmission system. Each of the Mountain Air QFs has been self-certified as a QF, and will sell all of its net output under PURPA to Idaho Power, pursuant to a long-term Petition for Late Intervention of Mountain Air Projects, LLC 2 PURPA PPA with forecast avoided cost rates (the "Mountain Air PURPA PPAs"). Each of the Mountain Air PURPA PPAs was executed on November 12, 2010, and approved by order of the Idaho PUC issued on November 16, 2010. 5.Mountain Air has a direct and substantial interest in the outcome of this proceeding. Each of the Mountain Air QFs is developing, and will own and operate, wind generation facilities that will be interconnected to the Idaho Power transmission system and will sell all of its net output to Idaho Power at forecast avoided cost rates pursuant to long-term PURPA PPAs with Idaho Power that were approved by the Idaho PUC. In addition, the threat of retroactive modification of the existing, fixed-rate Mountain Air PURPA PPAs could endanger Mountain Air's efforts to obtain permanent financing for the Mountain Air QFs' projects. As such, Mountain Air will be directly affected by the outcome of this proceeding. No other party can adequately represent Mountain Air's interests in this proceeding. Unless Mountain Air is permitted to intervene and to participate fully, it may be bound or adversely affected by Idaho Power's proposal and the Commission's order in this proceeding. Thus, Mountain Air's intervention, and its participation as a party in this proceeding, is in the public interest. 6.In particular, Mountain Air is gravely concerned about Idaho Power's proposed Schedule 74, Policy and Procedure for Operational Dispatch of Certain PURPA Qualifying Facilities, which appears to permit Idaho Power to curtail QFs in circumstances beyond those permitted by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") rule, 18 C.F.R. § 292.304(f). As set forth above, since each of the Mountain Air QFs have existing PPA's with forecast long- term avoided cost rates, any imposition of a curtailment except under the limited "light loading" circumstances expressly set forth in 18 C.F.R. § 292.304(f) may have a substantial and deleterious impact on the Mountain Air QFs. The forecast long-term avoided cost rates in the Petition for Late Intervention of Mountain Air Projects, LLC 3 Mountain Air QF PPAs did not contemplate substantial curtailments of any sort other than those otherwise permitted under 18 C.F.R. § 292.304(f) and Idaho Power's existing tariffs and the Commission's current set of orders and regulations governing the appropriate method for calculating avoided costs. The Mountain Air QFs had their financing commitments established under the laws, tariffs, orders and regulations that existed at the time those commitments were made. Any change in Idaho Power's curtailment policy that would affect these existing Mountain Air QFs could therefore undermine those prior financing commitments. Schedule 74 appears to be a substantial departure from prior Idaho Power curtailment policy, and thus directly and substantially affects the interests of each of the Mountain Air QFs. Further Mountain Air would highlight the fact that the Wind Integration Charge does not apply to all wind generators connected to the Idaho Power system, and curtailment under Schedule 74 does not apply to QFs that do not have GOLCs and/or a nameplate capacity of less than 10 MW. Consequently, wind generator QFs that, like the Mountain Air QFs, are subject to the charge will not only be subject to their proportional share of curtailment, but will also share of curtailment of exempt QFs if Schedule 74 is approved by the Commission. The Commission rule governing timely intervention (IDAPA 31.01.01.073) states: Petitions not timely filed must state a substantial reason for delay. The Commission may deny or conditionally grant petitions to intervene that are not timely filed for failure to state good cause for untimely filing, to prevent disruption, prejudice to existing parties or undue broadening of the issues, or for other reasons. Intervenors who do not file timely petitions are bound by orders and notices earlier entered as a condition of granting the untimely petition. 8. Mountain Air only become aware that Schedule 74 might be applied to existing contracts following May 4, 2012, when Commission Staff witness Rick Sterling submitted prefiled direct testimony which for the first time stated his belief that Schedule 74 could be used Petition for Late Intervention of Mountain Air Projects, LLC 4 to curtail existing QF contracts for purely economic reasons.2 Although Mountain Air previously had been aware there was an ongoing avoided cost proceeding at the Commission, Mountain Air assumed with some justification, that this would be prospective ratemaking only and any new methodology or tariff provisions would not apply to Mountain Air's existing contracts. Although Mountain Air had hoped that at some point the proceeding would clarify that Schedule 74 could not apply to existing QF contracts, it became clear to Mountain Air following Mr. Sterling's submittal of prefiled rebuttal testimony on June 29, 2012, that the issue of whether Schedule 74 will apply to existing QF contracts will continue to be a major issue in this proceeding. This realization prompted Mountain Air to file this petition to intervene to protect its interests as they relate to potential economic curtailment of the Mountain Air QFs. 9.Obviously, the deadline for intervention in this proceeding has long since passed, but Mountain Air had no reason to suspect or know that a historically prospective ratemaking hearing might result in the application of a new curtailment tariff to existing agreements. Moreover, there was no reason to suspect that Idaho Power would propose to radically change the scope of its interpretation of 18 C.F.R. § 292.304(f). 10.The Commission recently granted the late intervention of Idaho Wind Partners I, LLC in Order No. 32547 (May 9, 2012) and also recently granted late intervention to Ridgeline Energy, LLC in Order No. 32557 (May 25, 2012). In the Ridgeline Energy, LLC Order, the Commission noted that Ridgeline maintains that it will not disrupt or prejudice existing parties or unduly broaden the issues. Ridgeline agrees to limit its participation to submission of a legal brief on or before July 20, 2012, relating to legal issues associated with Mr. Sterling in fact, devotes almost the entirety of his rebuttal testimony to a defense of schedule 74, and also analyzes the applicability of Schedule 74 to the Idaho Wind Partners existing PPAs, concluding that it would be appropriate to apply the curtailment provisions to those contracts since the current avoided cost methodology does not contemplate costs associated with low loading periods. Petition for Late Intervention of Mountain Air Projects, LLC 5 Idaho Power's proposed Schedule 74 and cross-examination of Idaho Power's witness, Tessia Park, at the technical hearing scheduled to begin August 7, 2012. By adopting the self-imposed limitations to Ridgeline's participation in these proceedings, we find that granting this late intervention will not prejudice any party and that late intervention should be granted. Similarly, Mountain Air's participation in this proceeding will not broaden the scope of this proceeding nor introduce new issues. Nor will its participation unduly prejudice other parties or cause any disruption to the proceeding. Mountain Air will accept the procedural schedule as is, with a recognition that it will have no right to introduce testimony in this proceeding. Instead, Mountain Air will limit itself to submitting a legal brief on or before July 20, 2012, and conducting cross examination on the issues relating to Idaho Power's proposed Schedule 74. Mountain Air wishes to intervene to protect its interests in this proceeding, and believes that its participation may help assist the Commission in developing a more complete record and in crafting an appropriate order. 11.Mountain Air takes issue with proposed Schedule 74 and believes it would be a violation of PURPA. Specifically, Mountain Air does not believe the Commission may legally retroactively apply Schedule 74 to contracts executed prior to the effective date of Schedule 74. Mountain Air further contends that Schedule 74 cannot be applied to curtail QFs with contracts at forecast avoided cost rates. Finally, Mountain Air believes that the scope of curtailment under Schedule 74 violates Section 292.304(f) of FERC's regulations because it authorizes QF curtailment in circumstances beyond those contemplated by this provision, namely, on economic and environmental grounds. 12.Mountain Air believes that it should be permitted to intervene in this proceeding given that Schedule 74 may have a substantial effect on the existing PPAs of the Mountain Air QFs. Petition for Late Intervention of Mountain Air Projects, LLC 6 WHEREFORE, Mountain Air respectfully requests that the Commission grant this Petition for Late Intervention and authorize Mountain Air to participate in the above-entitled proceedings with full rights as a formal party. DATED this 16th day of July 2012. By: 2. V"Peja J. Kahle Becker, Idaho (ISB No. # 7408) The Alaska Center 1020 W. Main St. Suite 400 Boise, ID 83702 Telephone: (208) 333-1403 Facsimile: (208) 343-3246 Email: kahle@kahlebeckerlaw.com Petition for Late Intervention of Mountain Air Projects, LLC 7 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing Motion for Admission was servied via e- mail on this 16th day of July, 2012 upon the following: IDAHO POWER COMPANY: (Exhibit Nos. 1-100) AVISTA CORPORATION: (Exhibit Nos. 101-200) Donovan E. Walker Jason B. Williams Idaho Power Company P0 Box 70 Boise, ID 83707-0070 E-mail: dwalker(didahopower.com jwi II iams(ä)idahoDower.conl Michael G. Andrea Avista Corporation 1411 E. Mission Ave. Spokane, WA 99202 E-mail: michael .andreaavi stacorp.com PACIFICORP, dba ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER: (Exhibit Nos. 201-300) Daniel Solander PacifiCorp/ dba Rocky Mountain Power 201 S. Main St., Suite 2300 Salt Lake City, UT 84111 E-mail: danielsolnder@pacificorD.com COMMISSION STAFF: Kristine A. Sasser (Exhibit Nos. 301-400) Deputy Attorney General Idaho Public Utilities Commission 472 W. Washington (83702) P0 Box 83720 Boise, ED 83720-0074 E-mail: kris.sasserPt,puc.idaho.gov THE NORTHWEST AND Peter J. Richardson INTERMOUNTAIN POWER Gregory M. Adams PRODUCERS COALITION: Richardson & OLeary, PLLC (Exhibit Nos. 401-500) P0 Box 7218 Boise, ID 83702 E-mail: peter(&,richardsonandoleary.com greg(ärichardsonandoleary.com Robert D. Kahn Executive Director Northwest and Intermountain Power Producers Coalition 1117 Minor Ave., Suite 300 Seattle, WA 98101 E-mail: rkahn(&,nippc.org J.R. SIMPLOT COMPANY: Peter J. Richardson (Exhibit Nos. 501-600) Gregory M. Adams Richardson & O'Leary, PLLC P0 Box 7218 Boise, ID 83702 E-mail: peterrichard son ando(eary.com greg(&ri chard sonandoleary .com Don Sturtevant Energy Director J.R. Simplot Company P0 Box 27 Boise, ID 83707-0027 E-mail: don. sturtevant@simp lot, corn GRAND VIEW SOLAR II: (Exhibit Nos. 601-700) Peter J. Richardson Gregory M. Adams Richardson & O'Leary, PLLC P0 Box 7218 Boise, ID 83702 E-mail: peten'ärichardsonandoleary.com greg(richardsonandoleary.com Robert A. Paul Grand View Solar II 15690 Vista Circle, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92241 E-mail: robertapau I 08(dgmai I .com EXERGY DEVELOPMENT GROUP OF IDAHO, LLC: (Exhibit Nos. 701-800) RENEWABLE ENERGY COALITION: (Exhibit Nos. 801-900) Peter J. Richardson Gregory M. Adams Richardson & O'Leary, PLLC P0 Box 7218 Boise, ID 83702 E-mail: peter(ri chard sonandoleary.com greg,richardsonandoleary.com James Carkulis Managing Member Exergy Development Group of Idaho, LLC 802 W. Bannock St., Suite 1200 Boise, ID 83702 E-mail: jcarkul isi)exergydeveIopment.com Dr. Don Reading 6070 Hill Road Boise, ID 83703 E-mail: dreading,mindspring.com Ronald Williams Williams Bradbury, P.C. 1015 W. Hays St. Boise, ID 83702 E-mail: ron(william sbradbury.com John R. Lowe Consultant to Renewable Energy Coalition 12050 SW Tremont St. Portland, OR 97225 E-mail: jravenesanrnarcos@yahoo.com INTERCONNECT SOLAR DEVELOPMENT, LLC: (Exhibit Nos. 901-1000) R. Greg Ferney Mimura Law Offices, PLLC 2176 E. Franklin Rd., Suite 120 Meridian, ID 83642 E-mail: greg(mimuralaw.com Bill Piske, Manager Interconnect Solar Development, LLC 1303 E. Carter Boise, ID 83706 E-mail: bilIpiskecableone.net DYNAMIS ENERGY, LLC: (Exhibit Nos. 100 1-1 100) Ronald L. Williams Williams Bradbury, P.C. 1015 W. Hays Street Boise, ID 83702 E-mail: ronwilliamsbradbury.coni Wade Thomas General Counsel Dynamis Energy, LLC 776 W. Riverside Dr., Suite 15 Eagle, ID 83616 E-mail: wthomasdynam isenergv.com NORTH SIDE CANAL COMPANY TWIN FALLS CANAL COMPANY: (Exhibit Nos. 1101-1200) C. Thomas Arkoosh Capitol Law Group, PLLC 205 N. 10' St., 4th Floor P0 Box 2598 Boise, ID 83701 E-mail: ELECTRONIC SERVICE ONLY Brian Olmstead General Manager E-mail: olmsteadi)tfcanaLcom Ted Diehl General Manager North Side Canal Company E- mail: nscanal(cableone.net Don Schoenbeck RCS E-mail: dws(&r-c-s-inc.com Lori Thomas Capitol Law Group, PLLC E-mail: Ithomascapitollawgroup.coni THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ADAMS COUNTY, IDAHO: (Exhibit Nos. 1201-1300) Peter J. Richardson Gregory M. Adams Richardson & O'Leary, PLLC P0 Box 7218 Boise, ID 83702 E-mail: oeter(ri chard sonandoleary.com gregrichardsonandoIeary.com Bill Brown, Chair Board of Commissioners of Adams County, ID P0 Box 48 Council, ID 83612 E-mail: bdbrown@frontiemet.net BIRCH POWER COMPANY: (Exhibit Nos. 1301-1400) Ted S. Sorenson, P.E. Birch Power Company 5203 South I 11h East Idaho Falls, ID 83404 E-mail: tedtsorenson. net IDAHO WINDFARMS, LLC: (Exhibit Nos. 1401-1500) Glenn Ikemoto Margaret Rueger Idaho Windfarms, LLC 672 Blair Avenue Piedmont, CA 94611 E-mail: gIenni(4envisionwind.com margaret()envisionwind.com Dean J. Miller McDevitt & Miller, LLP 420 W. Bannock St. (83702) P0 Box 2564 Boise, ID 83701 E-mail: joemcdev itt-mi ller.com BLUE RIBBON ENERGY LLC: (Exhibit Nos. 1501-1600) M.J. Humphries Blue Ribbon Energy LLC 3470 Rich Lane Ammon, ID 83406 E-mail: blueribbonenergy@gmail.com Arron F. Jepson Blue Ribbon Energy LLC 10660 South 540 East Sandy, UT 84070 E-mail: arronesgEi)aol.com RENEWABLE NORTHWEST PROJECT: (Exhibit Nos. 1601-1700) Dean J. Miller McDevitt & Miller, LLP 420 W. Bannock St. (83702) P0 Box 2564 Boise, ID 83701 E-mail: joe@mcdevitt-rniller.com. Megan Walseth Decker Senior Staff Counsel Renewable Northwest Project 421 SW 6th Avenue, Suite 1125 Portland, OR 97204 IDAHO CONSERVATION LEAGUE: (Exhibit Nos. 1701-1800) SNAKE RIVER ALLIANCE: (Exhibit Nos. 1801-1900) CLEAR WATER PAPER CORPORATION: (Exhibit Nos. 1901-2000) ENERGY INTEGRITY PROJECT: (Exhibit Nos. 2001-2100) Benjamin J. Otto Idaho Conservation League 710 N. Sixth Street (83702) P0 Box 844 Boise, ID 83701 E-mail: bottoidahoconservation.org Liz Woodruff Ken Miller Snake River Alliance P0 Box 1731 Boise, ID 83701 Email: Iwoodruff@snakeriveralliance.org kmiller@snakeriveraltiance.org Peter J. Richardson Gregory M. Adams Richardson & O'Leary, PLLC P0 Box 7218 Boise, ED 83702 E-mail: peter@richardsonandoleary.com greg@richardsonandoleary.com Mary Lewallen Clearwater Paper Corporation 601 W. Riverside Ave., Suite 1100 Spokane, WA 99201 E-mail: mary.lewallen@clearwaterpaper.com Tauna Christensen Energy Integrity Project 769N 1100 Shelley, ID 83274 E-mail: tauna(energyi ntegrityproject.org IDAHO WIND PARTNERS I, LLC: Deborah E. Nelson (Exhibit Nos. 2101-2200) Kelsey J. Nunez Givens Pursley LLP 601 W. Bannock Street (83702) P0 Box 2720 Boise, ID 83701-2720 E-mail: dengivenspursley.com kjngivenspursIey.com RIDGELINE ENERGY, LLC: Dean J. Miller (Exhibit Nos. 2201-2300) Chas. F. McDevitt McDevitt & Miller, LLP 420 W. Bannock St. (83702) P0 Box 2564 Boise, ED 83701 E-mail: ioemcdevitt-milIer.corn chas@mcdevitt-nhi ller.com The foregoing was tiled via e-mail to the following: Jean Jewell Commission Secretary Idaho Public Utilities Commission P.O. Box 83720 Boise ID 83720-0074 Phone: 208-334-0338 E-mail: Jean.Jewell(ä)puc.idaho.gov Cathleen N. Uda Legal Secretary to Michael J. Uda