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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20150413min.pdf1 IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION MINUTES OF DECISION MEETING April 13, 2015 – 1:30 P.M. In attendance were Commissioners Paul Kjellander, Mack Redford and Kristine Raper. Commissioner Kjellander called the meeting to order. The first order of business was APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING on Monday, April 6, 2015. The Commission voted unanimously to approve the minutes as written. The second order of business was approval of the CONSENT AGENDA: 2. Curtis Thaden's April 10, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Idaho Power Company Tariff Advice No. 15-03 Revisions to Schedule 66, Miscellaneous Charges 3. Daphne Huang's April 10, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Idaho Power's Application to Approve Amendments to Power Purchase Agreements Regarding the Mid-C Market Index, Case No. IPC-E-15-10. 4. Daphne Huang's April 10, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Idaho Power's Application to Approve First Amendment to Its Uniform Agreement with Fisheries Development Co., Case No. IPC-E-15-12. 5. Daphne Huang's April 9, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Idaho Power's Application to Approve or Reject ESA with the Dept. of Water Resources, Case No. IPC-E-15-08. 6. Daphne Huang's April 9, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Idaho Power's Application to Approve or Reject ESA with the Dept. of Water Resources, Case No. IPC-E-15-07. 7. Grace Seaman's April 8, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Albion Telephone Company dba ATC Communication's 2014 Broadband Equipment Tax Credit Application, Case No. ALB-T-15-01. 8. Grace Seaman's April 8, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC's Application to Amend the Interconnection Agreement with New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC fka Edge Wireless LLC, Case No. USW-T-00-18. 9. Karl Klein's April 9, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Idaho Power's Application for Approval of Special Contract to Serve Simplot's Caldwell Facility, Case No. IPC-E-15-13. 2 10. Randy Lobb's April 8, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Rocky Mountain Power's Schedule 94 Compliance Filing with Order No. 33265 Regarding its Energy Cost Adjustment Mechanism, Case No. PAC-E-15-01. Regarding item 3, Commissioner Kjellander noted that Raft River was initially a QF but is currently under a non-PURPA contract, and he asked that this point be reflected in future orders. There was no further discussion and Commissioner Kjellander made a motion to approve Staff’s recommendations for items 2 through 10 on the Consent Agenda. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously. The next order of business was MATTERS IN PROGRESS: 11. Daphne Huang's March 31, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Clearwater Paper and Simplot Company's Joint Petition to Clarify, Case Nos. IPC-E-15-01, AVU-E-15-01, and PAC-E-15-03. Mr. Howell reviewed the Decision Memo. Commissioner Raper stated that this case presents the question of whether and to what extent it is appropriate for a utility to commit to purchasing a must-take resource at a predetermined and fixed price, and as such it necessarily includes all of the large QFs that are must-take generation. She said any additional refinement or definition is a substantive matter to be determined in the underlying case after full adjudication of the merits. She made a motion to deny Clearwater and Simplot’s Joint Petition for Clarification on that basis and move forward under the parameters set in Order No. 33253. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously. 12. Grace Seaman's April 9, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: 2014 Idaho Telephone Service Assistance Program Annual Report, Case No. GNR-T-15-03. Ms. Seaman reviewed her Decision Memo and commended Alyson Anderson for her work in administering the ITSAP program during the past year. Commissioner Kjellander asked Ms. Anderson if she had anything else to share as the Commission moves ahead to the next fiscal year. Ms. Anderson replied that she is concerned about the balance and would like to think it will level off at some point and not decline further. Commissioner Kjellander thanked her for her efforts in administering the program. He then made a motion to accept the 2014 annual report, adopt the Administrator’s 2015 budget, and adopt the Administrator’s recommendation to decrease the monthly ITSAP surcharge rate to $0.01 per access line. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously. 13. Maria Barratt-Riley's April 10, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Calculating the 2015 Regulatory Fee Assessments for Public Utilities, Railroads, and Pipelines, Case Nos. F- 2015-1, F-2015-2 and F-2015-3. Ms. Barratt-Riley reviewed her Decision Memo. Commissioner Kjellander asked about appropriation reversion and what she anticipated for next year. Ms. Barratt-Riley replied that this fiscal year there was $800,000 in reversion due to the large number of staff vacancies, so next year the funding target will be reduced by the dollars reverted at year end. Commissioner Kjellander noted that for historical perspective, this is probably going to be one of the first times 3 we’ve had a reversion anywhere near that size. Ms. Barratt-Riley confirmed that was the case. Commissioner Kjellander made a motion to accept Staff’s calculations and findings regarding the assessments as enumerated in the Decision Memo, items 1 through 5. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously. Commissioner Kjellander then thanked Ms. Barratt-Riley for her efforts during the legislative session. 14. PUC Staff's April 10, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Updating the List of Regulated Utilities. Ms. Barratt-Riley reviewed the Decision Memo. There was no discussion and Commissioner Kjellander made a motion to accept Staff’s recommendation to administratively remove the specified companies from the list of utilities subject to the annual regulatory fee as provided in procedural Rule 18.02. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously. The final order of business was OTHER MATTERS: 15. Election of PUC President. Commissioner Redford made a motion for Commissioner Kjellander to remain as Commission president for another two years. Commissioner Raper stated that Commissioner Kjellander has done an outstanding job, which is a good reason to keep him in the position. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously. Commissioner Kjellander expressed his thanks and stated that he has enjoyed working with everyone and looks forward to the years ahead. There was no further business before the Commission and Commissioner Kjellander adjourned the meeting. __________________________________ ______________________________ COMMISSION SECRETARY DATE OF APPROVAL