20170112AVU to Staff 30-34.pdf

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Avista Corp.
1411 East Mission P.O. Box 3727
Spokane. Washington 99220-0500
Telephone [phone]
Toll Free 800-727-9170
January 12, 2017
Camille Christen
Deputy Attorney General
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
PO Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0074
Re: Case No. AVU-E-16-06
Dear Ms. Christen:
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Enclosed on a separate CD and on paper, are copies of Avista's responses to IPUC Staffs
production requests in the above referenced docket. Included in this mailing is Avista's response
to production request Staff 30-34. The electronic versions of the responses were emailed on
01/12/17.
If there are any questions regarding the enclosed information, please contact Wendy Manskey at
[phone] or via e-mail at [e-mail].
Wendy skey
Rates Coordinator
A vista Utilities
Enclosures
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JURISDICTION:
CASE NO:
REQUESTER:
TYPE:
REQUEST NO.:
REQUEST:
AVISTA CORP.
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
IDAHO
AVU-E-16-06
PUC Staff
Production Request
Staff-30
DATE PREPARED: 01/12/2017
WITNESS: Dan Johnson
RESPONDER: Mike Dillon
DEPT: DSM
EMAIL: [e-mail]
Please explain why A vista missed its 2015 electric IRP savings target and the steps taken to ensure
that IRP targets will be met in the future.
RESPONSE:
During the 2015 time period Avista fell short of its 2015 electric IRP savings target primarily due
to an underperformance in the Non-Residential sector. The Company believes the primary drivers
of this shortfall were due to lack of natural gas programs that challenged the viability of duel fuel
conservation projects, increased capital spending in prior years to take advantage of increased
incentives for Tl2 lighting and the EPAC tax deductions which had expired at the end of 2013.
To improve the performance of the non-residential sector, the Company proposed to increase and
simplify the incentive structure to a flat $.20/kWh compared with the previous tiered approach.
The Company believes that this allows for more certainty of the incentive amount for customers
performing site specific projects. The Company also worked closely with Idaho Commission staff
on the resurrection of natural gas programs and began to roll out the Small Business Direct Install
program to our Idaho small business customers which will help us toward achieving our IRP
savings targets.
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JURISDICTION:
CASE NO:
REQUESTER:
TYPE:
REQUEST NO.:
REQUEST:
A VISTA CORP.
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
IDAHO
AVU-E-16-06
PUC Staff
Production Request
Staff-31
DATE PREPARED: 01/12/2017
WITNESS: Dan Johnson
RESPONDER: Mike Dillon
DEPT: DSM
EMAIL: [e-mail]
Please provide the electric avoided costs workpapers, including values and sources for all
assumptions.
RESPONSE:
Please see Staff_PR_31 Attachment A, B, and C.
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JURISDICTION:
CASE NO:
REQUESTER:
TYPE:
REQUEST NO.:
REQUEST:
A VISTA CORP.
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
IDAHO
AVU-E-16-06
PUC Staff
Production Request
Staff-32
DATE PREPARED: 01/12/2017
WITNESS: Lynn Roy
RESPONDER: Linda Gervais
DEPT: State & Federal Regulation
EMAIL: [e-mail]
Please provide copies of all interviews conducted as part of the evaluations, referenced on Page 9
of Lynn Roy's testimony, including but not limited to the 82 contractor interviews, 27 lighting
retailer interviews, implementation contractor interviews, and A vista program staff interviews.
RESPONSE:
The Company can make these interview files available, however, given the size and sensitivity of
the confidential conversations, access to a password protected secure ftp site can be provided to
review the contents. The Company will coordinate this access with Commission Staff and Nexant.
These files are confidential and not to be shared with the public.
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JURISDICTION:
CASE NO:
REQUESTER:
TYPE:
REQUEST NO.:
REQUEST:
A VISTA CORP.
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
IDAHO
AVU-E-16-06
PUC Staff
Production Request
Staff-33
DATE PREPARED: 01/12/2017
WITNESS: Dan Johnson
RESPONDER: Chris Drake
DEPT: DSM
EMAIL: [e-mail]
Please explain the timeline of events and the circumstances of events that led to the inadvertent
elimination and reinstatement of 0-Power reports.
RESPONSE:
A vista DMS program management staff worked closely with the billing system team but did cease
issuing Opower Home Energy Reports in January 2015 due to technical difficulties related to its
new billing system. The Company was not able to resume issuing reports until August 2015,
resulting in a program interruption of eight months. In response to the program interruption, the
Company extended the study period for the program, including the three Home Energy Reports
that were not provided to customers. Ratepayers did not experience any additional costs as a result
of the program interruption. Further, A vista invited a representative from Opower to participate in
its energy efficiency advisory group meetings, where they were able to answer relevant questions,
help assess any potential impact to the program, and provide recommendations for the continued
implementation of the effort. Any costs associated with Opower's participation in the advisory
group meetings was borne by A vista.
As provided in the Nexant Impact Evaluation in Exhibit No. 1, Schedule 2 at page 128:
"It is important to note what is happening during the period of February to August of 2015, when
home energy reports were not being sent out to customers. The monthly savings by year are shown
in Figure 6-17. With the exception of July and August, each month's estimated savings grows from
2014 to 2015. It is also important to note that the savings during this period hold fairly consistent
with what was observed in the year before, meaning they do not grow, but do not diminish
significantly either. Additionally, once reports resume in September 2015, monthly savings
surpass what they were in the years previous again."
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AVISTA CORP.
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
JURISDICTION: IDAHO
AVU-E-16-06
PUC Staff
Production Request
Staff-34
DATE PREPARED: 01/12/2017
CASE NO: WITNESS: Dan Johnson
REQUESTER: RESPONDER: Mark Baker
TYPE: DEPT: DSM
REQUEST NO.: EMAIL: [e-mail]
REQUEST:
Please provide the amount of labor expense charged to the DSM tariff rider for the years 2010-
2015. For each of those years, please include the number of Full Time Equivalents funded by the
rider. Please also provide the general wage adjustment percentage for non-union personnel
approved by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors for each year.
RESPONSE:
Salaries Benefits Total FTE
2010 344,169.52 262,968.97 607,138.49 4.65
2011 381,412.22 303,685.79 685,098.02 5.24
2012 364,073.56 303,967.59 668,041.15 4.86
2013 468,975.80 480,515.25 949,491.05 5.83
2014 458,710.22 386,730.82 845,441.04 5.43
2015 471,917.46 410,212.65 882,130.11 5.04
Non-Union % Increase
2010 2.9%
2011 2.5%
2012 2.8%
2013 2.8%
2014 3.0%
2015 3.0%
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