20250708News Release .pdf

lr �_ Idaho Public Utilities Commission Brad LitUe,Governor
P.O. Box 83720, Boise. ID 83770-0074 Edward Lodge, President
John R.Hammond, Jr.,Commissioner
Dayn Hardie,Commissioner
Case No. AVU-E-25-01
Case No. AVU-G-25-01
Order No. 36586
Contact: Adam Rush
Office: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
REMINDER NEWS RELEASE: Commission schedules technical hearing on proposed
settlement for northern Idaho utility's rate cases.
News Directors,Editors: A news release was sent on May 1 announcing the technical hearing,
as well as workshops and customer hearings that were previously held.
BOISE (July 8, 2025)—The Idaho Public Utilities Commission will hold a technical hearing on
July 23 on a proposed settlement for Avista Utilities' natural gas and electric rate cases.
Avista originally applied for commission approval to increase electric rates for the average
residential customer by 14.7 percent, or about $15.36, beginning Sept. 1, 2025. The utility also
proposed increasing the basic charge to $25.00 per month,up from $20.00 per month.
The utility also originally sought approval for another electric rate increase beginning Sept. 1,
2026. If approved, electric residential customers using an average of 939 kilowatt hours per
month would have seen their monthly bills increase 5.3 percent, or$6.36, along with another
increase of$5 per month in the basic charge, bringing it to $30.00 per month.
In the same filing, the utility further sought approval to increase natural gas rates. If approved,
the average monthly bill for 66 therms would have risen by 10.4 percent from $60.63 to
$66.92 starting Sept. 1, 2025. A second increase would have followed on Sept. 1, 2026,
raising the bill by another 1.3 percent to $67.80.
However, the utility filed a proposed settlement in which it agreed to, among other things, a 6.3
percent increase to base electric rates on Sept. 1, 2025, and a 4.5 percent increase on Sept. 1,
2026, with no additional increase to the basic charge either year. The utility further agreed to a
9.2 percent increase to natural gas rates in 2025, and a .4 percent decrease in 2026. The
commission can approve, deny or modify the proposed settlement.

Technical hearings are held when a utility's application may be more significant to customers or
present complex issues. Parties to a case cross examine witnesses and submit testimony during
the hearings. The hearing will begin at 9:00 a.m. (MDT) on July 23 and is scheduled to conclude
at 5:00 p.m. It is anticipated testimony from parties is not going to take the full day, and the
hearing may finish earlier. It will be held at the commission's offices, 11331 W. Chinden
Boulevard, Building 8, Suite 201-A, Boise, ID 83714.
Those interested in attending online can do so by visiting idahogov.webex.com and entering
meeting number 2868 954 8113 (no spaces between numbers). Then, click on the green"Join"
button. At the next window, please enter this password: Avista. Next,please click on the green
"Join Webinar"button. At the next window,please enter your name and e-mail address, and then
click on the "Next"button. Then click on the green"Join Webinar"button.
To listen over the phone, please call 1-415-655-0001 and enter meeting number 2868 954 8113
when prompted.
The hearing was scheduled to continue on July 24 if needed. It was determined a second day was
not needed and the hearing will conclude on July 23.
Additional information on Avista's application is available at puc.idaho.gov/case/Details/7453
and puc.idaho.gov/case/Details/7452.