20260428Comment_1.pdf

The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Debra Abbott
Submission Time: Apr 28 2026 1:36PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 4255 E Deer Flat Rd
Kuna, ID 83634
Name of Utility Company: Idaho Power
Case ID: IPC-E-26-10
Comment: "I am opposed to Idaho Power receiving addition rate increases. They just
received an increase effective 1-1-26 that substantially increased my bill and substantially
reduced the amount of my Export Credit Rate (ECR). Their reason to reduce the ECR was
that they could purchase cheaper power and residential solar was not worth it to them.
Now they are asking for a rate increase to purchase power. It looks like solar is more
valuable than they thought. Now that they can't meet the power demand and have to buy
power on the market, IPC wants a rate increase with no offer of additional compensation to
rooftop solar people for the energy they are already providing to IPC, that IPC is then
selling to other residential customers at 3X the price they are purchasing it for.
As a former employee of 28 years, I am familiar with IPC and the way it does business. IPC
has become way too dependent on asking for rate increases whenever it wants to spend
more money. I think IPC should be held to the same standards as non-subsidized private
business. They should have to tighten their belts and make cuts in spending. An example
is the IPC Incentive Pay Program for employees and the way it is manipulated by some
managers to ensure incentive payout at the end of the year. The incentive pay can be from
0%to 10%. I don't recall a year when there wasn't some % payout. There are ways to
postpone budgeted maintenance to reduce operation expenses so net income is higher
and thus the incentive payout is higher. The PUC or someone needs look into this as I am
sure it is not readily admitted to. Also delays of maintenance result in higher costs later. If
maintenance is known and budgeted for, it should be performed to save future, higher
costs.
Executive compensation should be evaluated. Everyone should be required to tighten
their belts in leaner times. Does a CEO need a $920K base salary and a total comp 7M? I
think most Idahoans could easily live on a 10th of the CEO base salary. Those same
Idahoans are trying to make ends meet while at the same time being asked to pay higher
utility rates. The rest of the leadership team earns a substantial amount too. Maybe
overall payroll should be an area to reduce costs. Payroll is a cost that gets passed onto
the rate payer.
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IPC gives most employees an annual GWA to keep salaries completive on the high end.
During Covid, employees received an additional wage increase. I doubt any IPC customers
got increases in their monthly income just to keep them happy. Again, this cost is part of a
rate increase.
The IPUC needs to investigate IPC spending carefully and see where cuts could be made
instead of just raising customer rates because that is what IPC asks for.
There is also IDACORP, Inc Political Action Committee that contributes to federal and state
elections. This gives rise to the question: if the PAC contributes the governor's campaign
and the governor appoints the IPCU commissioners, how likely is it that the governor
appoints commissioners that will look favorably on Idaho Power requests. As an example,
in the last rate case (order no 36785)there were Alternative ECRs (Table 4), 20%, 30%, and
40%. A reasonable choice would have been the middle or 30% Cap, but what was
approved... the biggest reduction -40% or the best outcome for IPC and the biggest hit to
residential roof top solar folks.
Isn't it time to hold IPC accountable for their business practices and spending and stop
allowing them to raise customers rates whenever they want more money. They should be
held to the same standards as the customer, spend within your budget. As customers, we
must re-evaluate our spending and decide what is necessary and what is nice to have and
work that into a budget. IPC should have to make those same hard decisions too."
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