20110829min.doc

IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

MINUTES OF DECISION MEETING

AUGUST 29, 2011 – 1:30 P.M.

In attendance were Commissioners Paul Kjellander, Mack Redford and Marsha Smith.

Commissioner Kjellander called the meeting to order. The first order of business was APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING on Monday, August 22, 2011. The Commission voted unanimously to approve the minutes as written.

The second order of business was approval of the CONSENT AGENDA:
2. Carolee Hall's August 24, 2011 Decision Memorandum re: CenturyTel of Idaho, Inc. Updating Certificate No. 289 to Reflect Its Legal Entity Name of CenturyTel of Idaho, Inc. dba CenturyLink, Case No. CEN-T-11-04.3. Carolee Hall's August 24, 2011 Decision Memorandum re: CenturyTel of the Gem State, Inc. Updating Certificate No. 227 to Reflect Its Legal Entity Name of CenturyTel of the Gem State, Inc. dba CenturyLink, Case No. CGS-T-11-03.4. Don Howell's August 24, 2011 Decision Memorandum re: DOE's Motion for Limited Admission Pro Hac Vice, Case No. IPC-E-11-08.5. Karl Klein's August 25, 2011 Decision Memorandum re: Idaho Power's Application for Approval of OER Energy Efficiency Incentive Agreement, Case No. IPC-E-11-16.6. Terri Carlock's August 26, 2011 Decision Memorandum re: Idaho Power Company's Application for authority to borrow up to $450,000,000 in short-term debt; Case No. IPC-E-11-12.
There was no discussion and the Commission voted unanimously to approve Staff’s recommendations for items 2 - 6 on the Consent Agenda.
The next order of business was MATTERS IN PROGRESS:
7. K. Sasser/R. Sterling's August 24, 2011 Decision Memorandum re: Update to Published Avoided Cost Rates to Reflect an Updated Natural Gas Price Forecast of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, Case No. GNR-E-11-04.
Ms. Sasser reviewed her Decision Memo. There was no discussion and Commissioner Smith made a motion to approve the new published avoided cost rates using the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s updated natural gas price forecast as outlined in the attachments to the Decision Memo. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously.8. Commission Staff's Motion to Modify Deadline for Filing Comments, Case No. IPC-E-11-10. [Kristine Sasser, Attorney]
Ms. Sasser reviewed Staff’s Motion. There was no discussion. Commissioner Kjellander asked if all parties were in agreement that September 16th is a reasonable date for their responses. Ms. Sasser replied that neither party opposed the timelines. Commissioner Kjellander made a motion to approve the adjusted timeline. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously.9. Grand View PV Solar Two's Petition to Intervene; Idaho Power's Opposition; and Grand View PV Solar's Answer to Idaho Power's Opposition, Case No. IPC-E-11-10. [Kristine Sasser, Attorney]
Ms. Sasser noted the parties to the case were present if the Commission had any questions for them. She stated that the Petition to Intervene made by Grandview was filed timely. She noted Staff had not filed a position in the matter, so the question before the Commission was Grandview’s request for intervention and an expedited discovery timeline.
Commissioner Smith stated that the Commission has always had a policy of liberally granting intervention in cases in order to further the Commission’s goals of maximum public participation and getting a wide range of information upon which to make its decisions. She said that this case is the exception to that rule, however, because it is a matter that involves a contract between two parties, and the Commission’s review will be based on what is in the contract. She said that the Staff is correct to be rigorous in its review of the contract, but she didn’t see the Commission allowing this review to result in startling new changes to any methodology. She noted the Commission already has a case open for that purpose and the Commission needed to move that case along. She said it is her opinion the Petition to Intervene ought to be denied, and if there are policy issues Staff raises in its comments, those will need to be addressed in the generic case now open for that purpose. She stated this case is a matter of reviewing and either approving or rejecting a contract between two parties, and it’s not a case wherein the Commission will establish new precedent for any kind of new policy in setting avoided cost rates.
Commissioner Redford agreed with Commissioner Smith and stated that it is a contract between Idaho Power and another party and from that standpoint, he would look askance at any intervening in this case or any similar case where the contract is simply between Idaho Power and another party. He then made a motion to deny the request by Grandview Solar to intervene. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously.
There was no further business before the Commission and Commissioner Kjellander adjourned the meeting.

___________________________________ ______________________________ COMMISSION SECRETARY DATE OF APPROVAL

1