20260317Comments_7.pdf

The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Gregory Bishop
Submission Time: Mar 16 2026 4:19PM
Email: clarknetsolutions(cbhotmail.com
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 840 N. Centennial Ct.
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814
Name of Utility Company: Avista
Case ID: AVE-E-26-01
Comment: "It is absolutely OUTRAGEOUS that Avista is asking for a 7.7% increase in
electric service charges!!! What worker gets a raise of 7.7%to help cover these extra
expenses? What about retired folks on fixed incomes? It seems that, once again, Avista's
customers are being charged to cover their costs related to building more infrastructure
due to so many people moving to Idaho. Developers should be made to cover those
costs!!!!"
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The following comments were submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Daniel Rothchild
Submission Time: Mar 16 2026 5:08PM
Email: danielrothchild1 @hotmail.com
Telephone: [phone]
Address: Po box 2083
Orofino, ID 83544
Name of Utility Company: Avista
Case ID: AVU-E-26-01
Comment: "I oppose the rate increase. It sounds like Avista mismanaged the funds for
repairs to the electrical grid.This should be included in our bills already as mandated by
the government for the utility companies. Again, i am against any rate increase. "
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Name: Ross Gibson
Submission Time: Mar 16 2026 9:40PM
Email: ross gibson0bhotmail.com
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 1039 Helmer lane
Deary, ID 83823-9773
Name of Utility Company: AVISTA
Case ID: AVU-E-26-01
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Comment: 1) There is a new line item on my last bill; a charge deceitfully called "State of
Idaho Usage Tax:' An Idaho Bill got passed 'House Bill 329'to charge electric and gas
customers for AVISTA's Property Taxes. What a scam! While AVIST just raised rates 17% in
the last 2 years,they also increased their base rate to every customer from $7 to $20. Now
this putting more money in the pockets of AVISTA is wide open for usurious Property Tax
Increases for AVISTA's property. Do you have any one else aware and complaining like me?
You're not imagining this, and you're definitely not the only one reacting to the new charge.
The public record shows that Idaho House Bill 329 did restructure how utilities like Avista
are taxed—and the result is exactly what you're seeing on your bill.
Below is the clean, factual breakdown based on the sources retrieved.
What HB 329 Actually Did
HB 329 eliminates traditional property tax assessments on regulated utilities and replaces
them with a usage-based tax on every kWh and therm sold in Idaho. Avista's own
explanation confirms this directly.
I WOULD LIKE AVISTA TO PAY MY PROPERTY TAXES - NOT CHARGE ME FOR THEIRS.
2) 1 vehemently protest ANOTHER attempt by AVISTA to get your approval to charge me and
all customers for the cause "Customer Incentives" and rebates AVISTA OFFERED to
customers invested for rebates that have NOTHING TO DO WITH ME. I don't know how
AVISTA can pay out monies, then later(like now), charge the broad customer base for
'shortfalls' in the millions of dollars. AVISTA is actually asking me to pay for others'
Efficiency Projects' rebated. That should be illegal. Please DO NOT approve ANY funding for
AVISTA's shortfall. "
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The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: chris scharnhorst
Submission Time: Mar 17 2026 7:28AM
Email: chris [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 2109 Grelle Ave
Lewiston, ID 83501
Name of Utility Company: Avista
Case ID: AVU-E-26-01
Comment: "In times such as these we see many people struggling to get by. Paying for rent,
mortgage, food, water, utilities and all of these are soaring in price across the country.
Where does it end for the American citizen trying to make ends meat. Utilities are a
necessity in this day and age but that does not mean that we have to work ourselves to
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death to be able to afford them. Many people are on a fix income and others work their
standard job of 40 hours with no extra coming in. Where I am going is we as American
citizens are cutting costs in our households to be able to afford to live.
Why can't Avista look at cutting overhead costs and become more efficient like we the
people are having to do. Just because you have a necessary service and a monopoly on
that service does not mean you need to price hike every year.You as a private company
need to find ways to become more efficient and be able to cut costs. 7.7% is an insane
amount to just throw onto people that are just barely making it as it is.At that point it
becomes greed.
Every time Avista puts in a proposal to improve its infostructure then there should be a full
report on what that money is going towards and if you do not complete the preposed
improvements then there needs to be accountability and penalties set against Avista not
completing such said improvements that are so needed. This rampant increasing of cost
has to have a plateau and hold you accountable if such projects that are not completed. I
could go on forever on why this is a poor time to increase the rate,when citizens are having
to pay to just live in there homes but I will finish with this.Where there is no accountability,
there is no responsibility.
So please be responsible with the money that we are already paying you and look for forms
of cost cutting not bloating. And to make it clear if it already was not made clear I am
against a 7.7% increase in your utility billing for us the consumer and the citizens."
Thank you.
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The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Rhonda Schneider
Submission Time: Mar 17 2026 8:30AM
Email: rsnoopysmomCa)gmail.com
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 1505 Discovery Dr.
Lewiston, ID 83501
Name of Utility Company: Avista
Case ID: AVU-E-26-01
Comment: "No more rate increases,we are struggling now. Avista has had enough rate
increases for a long time. My power bill has just about doubled in 8 years. Everyyear we get
another rate increase and it's supposed to be for several years yet everyyear it's something
else. NO MORE !
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The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: John Bauer
Submission Time: Mar 17 2026 9:13AM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 4261 E Half Round Bay Road
Harrison, ID 83833
Name of Utility Company: KEC-Avista
Case ID: AVU-E-26-01
Comment: "My wife and I support the proposed rate increase requested by Avista under the
above Case Number, on the grounds that Avista has shown itself to be a respectful,
competent and responsible electrical provider in its cooperative activities assisting
Kootenai Electric Cooperative transmission activities in our residential service near Carlin
Bay and Harrison. Many of our nearby neighbors have Avista, end of service line about 300
yards from our KEC end of service line, and we have compared bills.
This is because recently KEC, unregulated, has made objectionable changes to its rate
structure without our consent, which demand lifestyle changes to all its members to avoid
significant unjustified monthly penalties often over$100. By comparison,Avista imposes a
$20 availability fee,while KEC charges $32.50. Though KEC and Avista appear to share
Local switching stations, and Avista is likely selling electrcity wholesale unregulated to
KEC, KEC alone on January 1 2026 imposed "time of use" penalties that are unreasonable,
while our neighbors using .
Avista continue to have modest staged increases for increasing use. Therefore we hold
strongly that Avista deserves their rate increase as they propose here, for their reasonable
good behavior, while KEC is the profiteer that your Commission was designed to regulate,
but does not, by peculiar and actionable laws that impinge on the sale and distribution on
mainly Federal provided energy in Idaho.
Bad policy makes bad case law, and Idaho's failure to regulate the 12 cooperatives while
regulating three "capitalist investor owned" providers, invites federal Court action by KEC's
behavior. In effect, Mr. Chairman, Idaho appears to be riding side-saddle.
Please approve this rate increase that Avista requests. You may find if you look that Avista
is simply leveling the playing field in Idaho.
We have brought this entire regulatory structure matter to the attention of the Secretary of
the Federal Energy Department and await a response.
Thank you for your time:'
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The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Jon Rolfe
Submission Time: Mar 17 2026 3:45PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 3804 Broken Arrow Road
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815
Name of Utility Company: Avista
Case ID: AVU-E-26-01
Comment: "As a residential consumer, I find it counter-productive to conserve electrical
usage only to endure higher rates due to past "energy saving rebates". I believe Avista
should have terminated these programs early when funds were exhausted rather that
incurring a financial deficit.
We users have been subject to a substantial rate increase in the past six months and we
certainly don't need this additional burden at this time.
Thank you,
Jon Rolfe
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