USWT996.ch.ws.doc

WELDON STUTZMAN
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PO BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0074
[phone]
Idaho Bar No. 3283

Street Address for Express Mail:
472 W. WASHINGTON
BOISE, ID. 83702-5983

Attorneys for the Commission Staff

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF TARIFF ADVICE NO. )
99-05-S OF U S WEST COMMUNICATIONS ) CASE NO. USW-T-99-6
TO IMPLEMENT EXTENDED AREA )
SERVICE (EAS) FOR ITS BURLEY ) COMMENTS OF THE
EXCHANGE CUSTMERS ) COMMISSION STAFF
)
)

COMES NOW the Staff of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, by and through its Attorney of record, Weldon Stutzman, Deputy Attorney General, and submits the following comments for the Commission’s consideration in Case No. USW-T-99-6.

BACKGROUND
On April 14, 1999 U S WEST Communications, Inc. (U S WEST) filed its Tariff Advice No. 99-05-S with the Commission seeking authorization to increase basic rates for its customers in the Burley exchange, including the Declo wire center. This is a compliance filing in response to Commission Order No. 27910 issued in Case No. GNR-T-96-9 and Order No. 27633 issued in Case No. USW-T-98-3.
In Case No. GNR-T-96-9, the Commission approved the implementation of EAS between U S WEST customers in the Burley/Declo area and those customers of Albion Telephone Company located in Cassia County. Albion Telephone exchanges included in the Cassia county area are Albion, Malta, Almo, Elba and Raft River. By approving this EAS region, the Commission created a new EAS region called the “Mini Cassia” region. Other exchanges included in the Mini Cassia region are those of Project Mutual Telephone located in Rupert, Oakley, Norland, Paul and Minidoka.
In Case No. GNR-T-98-3, the Commission approved a methodology for
U S WEST and Staff to use when calculating U S WEST’s costs associated with the implementation of all the EAS regions approved by the Commission.

DISCUSSION
U S WEST used the cost recovery methodology approved by the Commission for the
U S WEST Burley/Declo area customers resulting in a $1.13 per line per month rate increase.
U S WEST also created a new rate group designation for those U S WEST customers in the Mini Cassia region. In its Tariff Advice, the new U S WEST rate group is 1A and reflects the $1.13 per line per month rate increase.
The Commission has received eight letters from customers in the U S WEST Burley/Declo serving area. Six customers oppose the rate increase while two indicated support if the calling area were expanded to include Twin Falls, or the Cold Water Hill (just east of Raft River) customers were allowed to call into Burley. There are approximately 10,000 lines in the Burley/Declo area.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff has reviewed U S WEST’s cost recovery methodology and Tariff Advice
No. 99-05-S and finds that both comport with previous Commission Orders related to this case. Staff recommends approval of Tariff Advice No. 99-05-S.

Respectfully submitted this day of May, 1999.

____________________________________
Weldon Stutzman
Technical Staff: Carolee Hall

CH:word\comments\usw-t-99-6 Burley EAS.doc
STAFF COMMENTS 2 May 24, 1999