20171010min.doc

IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

MINUTES OF DECISION MEETING

October 19, 2017 – 1:30 P.M.

In attendance were Commissioners Paul Kjellander and Eric Anderson. Kristine Raper was excused. Commissioner Kjellander called the meeting to order.

The first order of business was APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING on Tuesday, October 10, 2017. The Commission voted unanimously to approve the minutes as written.

The second order of business was CONSENT AGENDA:
2.  Nancy Ashcraft’s October 5, 2017, Decision Memorandum re: Updating List of Regulated Utilities for Assessment.

3.  Brandon Karpen’s October 6, 2017, Decision Memorandum re: Further Continuance of the Stay of Proceedings; Case No. EAG-W-15-01.
There were no questions and Commissioner Kjellander made a motion to approve Staff’s recommendations for items 2 and 3 on the Consent Agenda. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously.
The next order of business was MATTERS IN PROGRESS:
4.  Daphne Huang’s October 3, 2017, Decision Memorandum re:  Idaho Power’s Application to Approve or reject Energy Sales Agreement with Shorock Hydro, Inc. for Rock Creek Hydro Facility; Case No. IPC-E-17-14. (Held over from 10/5/17 Decision Meeting)

Ms. Huang reviewed her Decision Memo; she stated that this is an energy sale agreement. The parties in the case, Shorock Hydro and Idaho Power are in agreement on the contract with the exception of two provisions; they agreed to have this case processed by modified procedure and they wish to have their arguments over their provisions addressed in comments.
Ms. Huang stated, she placed this on the Agenda and consulted with Staff and with Mr. Louis, the PUC head Engineer about how they would like to process it and Mr. Louis said he wanted to hear from Shorock Hydro about what their arguments where before Staff prepared their response.
Ms. Huang stated this is a process that we have used in recent cases and Randy Lobb is available to answer questions about this process if the Commissioners have any questions for him about that process.
Commissioner Kjellander asked if there were any comments or questions.
Commissioner Raper commented she was concerned, because this is atypical for Staff to comment simultaneously with the Company. She understands that the way this case is situated, in order for Staff to have anything rather than a denial based on past precedence, they would like to at least consider Shorock’s position on why the contract should be changed. She is in agreement with the way this is now being processed, she just wanted to be clear that, procedurally, this is not a typical way to process a case.
Commissioner Kjellander made a motion that the Commission process this case under Modified Procedure with Staff’s proposed deadlines. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously.
There was no further business before the Commission and Commissioner Kjellander adjourned the meeting.

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