20261020Decision Memo.pdf

DECISION MEMORANDUM
TO: COMMISSIONER LODGE
COMMISSIONER HAMMOND
COMMISSIONER HARDIE
COMMISSION SECRETARY
COMMISSION STAFF
LEGAL
FROM: ERIKA K. MELANSON
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
DATE: OCTOBER 20, 2026
SUBJECT: IN THE MATTER OF AVISTA CORPORATION'S APPLICATION FOR A
CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY TO
CONSTRUCT THE CARLIN BAY TRANSMISSION LINE; CASE NO.
AVU-E-26-10.
On July 9,2026,Avista Corporation,dba Avista Utilities("Company")applied to the Idaho
Public Utilities Commission ("Commission") requesting a Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity("CPCN")to construct a new overhead 115 kilovolt("kV")transmission line and related
facilities to provide service by connecting the proposed O'Gara Substation to the Carlin Bay
Substation("Application") The Company requested an order on or before December 1, 2026.
On August 31, 2026, the Commission issued a Notice of Application and Notice of
Modified Procedure, setting an October 27, 2026, deadline for public comments and a November
10, 2026, deadline for the Company to file reply comments. Order No. 37151.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Commission Staff ("Staff') and the Company have conferred regarding the comment
deadlines established in Order No. 37151. Upon consideration, the parties agree that the current
schedule does not provide the Company with sufficient time to adequately respond to Staff s
production requests and for Staff to prepare its comments.Accordingly, Staff recommends that the
Commission vacate the comment deadlines established in Order No. 37151 and issue a Notice of
Modified Schedule establishing November 17, 2026, as the deadline for public comments and
December 1,2026,as the deadline for the Company to file reply comments. Staff and the Company
recognize that the proposed deadlines will extend past the Company's requested order date of
December 1, 2026, and agree that the extended schedule is necessary.
DECISION MEMORANDUM 1

COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to vacate the comment deadlines established in Order No.
37151 and issue a Notice of Modified Schedule establishing November 17, 2026, as the deadline
for public comments and December 1, 2026, as the deadline for the Company to file reply
comments?
ri a K. lanson
Deputy Attorney General
I:\Legal\ELECTRIC\AVU-E-26-10_Culin Bay CPCN\memosWWE2610_dec2_em.docx
DECISION MEMORANDUM 2