HomeMy WebLinkAbout20040329min.docIDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
MINUTES OF DECISION MEETING
MARCH 29, 2004 – 1:00 P.M.
In attendance were Commissioners Paul Kjellander, Marsha Smith and Dennis Hansen.
Commissioner Kjellander called the meeting to order. The first order of business was approval of the CONSENT AGENDA, items 1—7. There were no comments or questions. Commissioner Kjellander made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda items. A vote was taken and the motion carried unanimously.
The next order of business was MATTERS IN PROGRESS:
Scott Woodbury’s March 25, 2004 Decision Memorandum re: Agreement for Sale and Purchase of Electric Energy; Idaho Power/United Materials of Great Falls, Inc., Case No. IPC-E-04-01 (Idaho Power).
Commissioner Kjellander stated that item 8 would be held.
Scott Woodbury’s March 26, 2004 Decision Memorandum re: Proposed Modifications to PURPA Contract Security Provisions, Case Nos. IPC-E-03-16 (Idaho Power); AVU-E-03-09 (Avista); PAC-E-03-13 (PacifiCorp).
Mr. Woodbury reviewed his Decision Memo. Commissioner Smith asked if the Commission were to continue with the second lien requirement, had staff taken a position as to whether the company should be permitted to collect the cost from the QF or alternatively recover the expense as part of its annual PCA filing. Rick Sterling replied that staff did not have an opinion ready to express at the present time.
Commissioner Smith asked why some of the clarification requested by Mr. Ravenscroft had been addressed and some hadn’t. Mr. Woodbury replied that there were some unanswered questions that weren’t addressed by either the company or staff.
Commissioner Smith moved that item 9 be held until the Commission had more information from the staff. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously.
Wayne Hart’s March 24, 2004 Decision Memorandum re: Petition for EAS Between Bruneau/Grandview and Pine/Featherville, Case No. GNR-T-01-12.
Mr. Hart reviewed his Decision Memo. Commissioner Hansen asked why the Petition did not include an indication of any willingness by petitioners to pay increased rates in order to have EAS. He asked Mr. Hart if the customers were given an opportunity to state if they were willing to pay more or is staff just assuming they don’t want to pay more. Mr. Hart replied that part of the customers are with a company that is a recipient of USF funds. He said it is likely that if the company incurs any increased cost, that cost will be covered by the USF and not the customers. Mr. Hart stated that the Petition on our Web site, which the customers copied, had a column for willingness to pay but the people who circulated the petition removed the column so the signers didn’t have it.
Commissioner Smith clarified that Boise River Exchange customers and CenturyTel customers pay $24.10 per month. Mr. Hart stated that the majority of CenturyTel’s customers pay more than that because they have the rural adder, but the base rate is $24.10. Commissioner Smith asked if the customers have access to the Mountain Home Exchange, the Boise Exchange and all the surrounding exchanges that were made a part of the local calling area. Mr. Hart replied that they have access to all of the Qwest exchanges with the exception of Payette and Weiser, but what they don’t have is access to each other. Mr. Hart confirmed there are about 1,000 customers in the CenturyTel Exchange and about 250 in the Rural Exchanges.
Commissioner Kjellander made a motion to approve staff’s recommendation to deny this Petition and close the case. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously.
There were no further items on the agenda and Commissioner Kjellander adjourned the meeting.
DATED this _____ day of March, 2004.
____________________________________
COMMISSION SECRETARY
1