27167.docx

(text box: 1)BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF U S WEST COMMUNI-
CATIONS, INC.’S TARIFF ADVICE FILING NOS.  97-12-N, 97-13-N AND 97-14-N REVISING ITS TERMINATION LIABILITY ASSESSMENT FOR CONTRACTS, PRIVATE LINE TRANS­PORT SERVICES AND ADVANCED COMMU­NICATIONS IN NORTHERN IDAHO.
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CASE NO. USW-T-97-18
ORDER NO.  27167
On October 6, 1997, the Commission Staff filed a Motion to Consolidate this proceeding with the tariff advice filing made by U S WEST on October 3, 1997.  In the October 3 filing, U S WEST seeks to modify its termination liability assessment for Centrex 21 services in southern Idaho.  The current proceeding involves the same issues for U S WEST’s northern division.  According to its Motion, Staff believes that it would promote consistency and efficiency and would be in the best interest of the Commission, the Company and its ratepayers to consolidate these proceedings and incorporate the October 3, 1997 tariff filing into Case No. USW-T-97-18.
We find that Staff’s Motion satisfies the requirements of Rule 256(03) of the Commission’s Rules of Procedure, IDAPA 31.01.01.256, pertaining to Motions seeking procedural relief upon fewer than 14 days’ notice.  We note that U S WEST supports Staff’s Motion.  We further find that because of the similar nature of the issues presented by U S WEST’s two tariff advice filings, it would be in the best interest of the Company, its ratepayers and this Commission to combine these proceedings into a single docket.  Consequently, the Company’s October 3, 1997 tariff advice filing affecting its southern Idaho division is consolidated with and incorporated into Case No. USW-T-97-18.
O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Commission Staff’s Motion to Consolidate U S WEST’s October 3, 1997 tariff advice filing with this proceeding is granted.  The October 3, 1997 tariff advice filing is hereby consolidated with and incorporated into Case No. USW-T-97-18.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER.  Any person interested in this Order (or in issues finally decided by this Order) or in interlocutory Orders previously issued in this Case No. USW-T-97-18  may petition for reconsideration within twenty-one (21) days of the service date of this Order with regard to any matter decided in this Order or in interlocutory Orders previously issued in this Case No. USW-T-97-18.  Within seven (7) days after any person has petitioned for reconsideration, any other person may cross-petition for reconsideration.  See Idaho Code § 61-626.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this                  day of October 1997.
                                                                                                                                      DENNIS S. HANSEN, PRESIDENT
                                                                                           RALPH NELSON, COMMISSIONER

MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:

Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary
vld/O:USW-T-97-18.bp3
COMMENTS AND ANNOTATIONS
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Service Date
October 17, 1997