20170327min.doc

IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

MINUTES OF DECISION MEETING

March 27, 2017 – 1:30 P.M.

In attendance were Commissioners Paul Kjellander, Kristine Raper and Eric Anderson. Commissioner Kjellander called the meeting to order.

The first order of business was APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING on Monday, March 20, 2017. The Commission voted unanimously to approve the minutes as written.

The second order of business was approval of the CONSENT AGENDA:
2. Daphne Huang's March 21, 2017 Decision Memorandum re: Idaho Power's Application for Prudency Determination Regarding 2016 Demand Side Management Expenses, Case No. IPC-E-17-03.3. Grace Seaman's March 24, 2017 Decision Memorandum re: Fatbeam LLC's 2016 Broadband Equipment Tax Credit Application; Case No. FZ4-T-17-01.
There were no questions and Commissioner Kjellander made a motion to approve Staff’s recommendations for items 2 and 3 on the Consent Agenda. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously.
The next order of business was MATTERS IN PROGRESS:
4. Chris Hecht's March 22, 2017 Decision Memorandum re: Formal Complaint of Virginia Rothenberger Against Intermountain Gas Company.
Mr. Hecht reviewed his Decision Memo. He explained that Ms. Rothenberger was not satisfied with the outcome of her informal complaint. Staff recommends the Commission issue a Summons to Intermountain Gas Company, and direct the Company to file a response to the complaint.
Commissioner Raper made a motion that the Commission accept Ms. Rothenberger’s formal complaint and issue a Summons with a 21 day response time from Intermountain Gas Company.
Commissioner Kjellander asked if there were further questions or comments. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously.
5. Grace Seaman's March 23, 2017 Decision Memorandum re: 2016 Idaho Telephone Service Assistance Program Annual Report; Case No. GNR-T-17-03.
Ms. Seaman reviewed her Decision Memo. She introduced the ITSAP Administrator, Ms. Anderson.
Ms. Seaman stated in the 2016 summary of the Annual Report the revenue source; the wireline and the wireless access lines both decreased and the combined decrease was an approximate average of a $102,000 per month. The number of ITSAP recipients also declined significantly by 42% in 2016. Ms. Anderson’s proposed 2017 budget reflected a decline as well as a decline in the number of recipients and calculates the funding requirement will be approximately be $122,000.
Two years ago the Commission approved a decrease in the surcharge rate from $0.03 to $0.01 a month. Ms. Anderson acknowledges that the end of year cash reserves continue to grow suggesting another decrease is in order. Ms. Anderson recommends that the surcharge be suspended for budget year 2017, staff agrees with this recommendation.
Ms. Seaman stated, the decisions before the Commission today are; do you wish to accept the ITSAP Administrator’s 2016 Annual report, the proposed budget for 2017 and the Administrators recommendation to suspend the surcharge for calendar year 2017.
Commissioner Raper made a motion that the Commission accept the 2016 annual report, adopt the 2017 Administrators budget and recommendation to suspend the ITSAP assessments for calendar year 2017 and send notices to each of the effected utilities that they will be required to report numbers even though there will be no money transacted during the next year.
Commissioner Kjellander asked if there were any further questions. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously.
The next order of business was FULLY SUBMITTED MATTERS:
6. Deliberation re: Idaho Power Company's Application to Revise Tariff Schedule 91 -- Energy Efficiency Rider, Case No. IPC-E-16-33. [Brandon Karpen, Attorney]
Commissioner Kjellander announced that item 6 on the Fully Submitted Matters would be deliberated privately.
There was no further business before the Commission and Commissioner Kjellander adjourned the meeting.

____________________________________ ______________________________ COMMISSION SECRETARY DATE OF APPROVAL