20201117MIN.pdf

IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
MINUTES OF DECISION MEETING
November 17, 2020 – 1:30 P.M. In attendance was Commissioner Paul Kjellander, Commissioner Kristine Raper and Commissioner Eric Anderson. Commissioner Kjellander called the meeting to order.
The first order of business was APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS on November 5, 2020. The Commission voted unanimously to approve the minutes as written. The next order of business was CONSENT AGENDA: 2. Action Item: John R. Hammond Jr.’s November 12, 2020, Decision Memorandum re: In the
Matter of Rocky Mountain Power’s Application Requesting Authorization to Update the Wind and
Solar Integration Rate for Small Power Generation Facilities; Case No. PAC-E-20-14.
3. Action Item: Matt Hunter’s November 12, 2020, Decision Memorandum re: In the Matter of
Clear Rate Communications, Inc.’s Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
to Provide Resold and Non-Facilities Based Local Exchange Services Throughout Idaho; Case No.
CRC-T-20-01.
4. Action Item: Matt Hunter’s November 12, 2020, Decision Memorandum re: In the Matter of
Rocky Mountain Power’s Application for Approval of a Power Purchase Agreement Between
PacifiCorp and Birch Hydro Company; Case No. PAC-E-20-07.
5. Action Item: Daniel Klein’s November 12, 2020, Decision Memorandum re: The 2018 Broadband Equipment Tax Credit Application for Columbine Telephone Company, Inc.; Case No. COL-T-20-
01.
6. Action Item: Daniel Klein’s November 12, 2020, Decision Memorandum re: The 2019 Broadband
Equipment Tax Credit Application for Millennium Networks, LLC; Case No. MNL-T-20-02.
7. Action Item: Ed Jewell’s November 13, 2020, Decision Memorandum re: In the Matter of the
Application of Rocky Mountain Power to Update Contracts, Load and Gas Forecasts Used in the
Integrated Resource Plan Avoided Cost Model; Case No. PAC-E-20-16.
8. Action Item: Dayn Hardie’s November 13, 2020, Decision Memorandum re: Proposed
Abandonment of a 1.16 Mile Segment of Union Pacific Railroad Company’s Rail Line; Case No.
UPR-R-20-01.
Commissioner Kjellander made a motion to approve Staff’s recommendation for Items 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8
under the Consent Agenda. Commissioner Kjellander made a motion to move Item No. 4 (Matt Hunter’s
November 12, 2020, Decision Memorandum re: In the Matter of Rocky Mountain Power’s Application for
Approval of a Power Purchase Agreement Between PacifiCorp and Birch Hydro Company; Case No. PAC-
E-20-07) under the Consent Agenda to Matters in Progress. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried
unanimously.
The next order of business was MATTERS IN PROGRESS:
4. Action Item: Matt Hunter’s November 12, 2020, Decision Memorandum re: In the Matter of Rocky Mountain Power’s Application for Approval of a Power Purchase Agreement Between PacifiCorp and Birch Hydro Company; Case No. PAC-E-20-07. Mr. Hunter Reviewed his Decision Memorandum and asked does the Commission wish to set a 7-day comment period on the amended PPA and a 7-day reply comment period. Commissioner Raper made a motion to issue a Notice of Modified Application with a 14-day comment period on the amended PPA and a 21-day reply comment period. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously. 9. Action Item: John R. Hammond Jr.’s November 12, 2020, Decision Memorandum re: In the Matter of Idaho Power Company’s Application for Authority to Decrease Its Rates for Electric Service for Costs Associated with the Boardman Power Plant; Case No. IPC-E-20-32. Mr. Hammond reviewed his Decision Memorandum and asked does the Commission wish to issue a
Notice of Modified Procedure setting a comment deadline of December 10, 2020 and a reply comment deadline of December 24, 2020.
Commissioner Raper made a motion to issue a Notice of Modified Procedure setting a comment deadline of December 10, 2020, and a reply comment deadline of December 24, 2020. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously. 10. Action Item: Ed Jewell’s November 13, 2020, Decision Memorandum re: In the Matter of Idaho Power Company’s Petition to Establish Avoided Cost Rates Applicable to PURPA Energy Storage Qualifying Facilities; Case No. IPC-E-20-02. Mr. Jewell reviewed his Decision Memorandum and asked does the Commission wish to issue a Notice of Compliance Filing establishing a comment deadline of December 29, 2020, and a reply comment deadline of January 12, 2021.
Commissioner Raper made a motion to issue a Notice of Compliance Filing establishing a comment deadline of December 29, 2020, and a reply comment deadline of January 12, 2021. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously. 11. Action Item: Ed Jewell’s November 13, 2020, Decision Memorandum re: Formal Complaint of Black Mesa Energy, LLC to Establish a Legally Enforceable Obligation; Case No. IPC-E-20-17. Mr. Jewell reviewed his Decision Memorandum and asked does the Commission wish to reinstate the briefing schedule as proposed by the parties. Commissioner Raper made a motion to issue a briefing schedule with December 14, 2020 being Black Mesa’s initial brief, January 11, 2021 for Idaho Power Company and Commission Staff to reply, and January 21, 2021 for rebuttal by Black Mesa. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously. 12. Action Item: Ed Jewell’s November 13, 2020, Decision Memorandum re: In the Matter of the Formal Complaint of Wood Hydro Against Idaho Power Company; Case No. IPC-E-20-28. Mr. Jewell reviewed his Decision Memorandum and asked does the Commission wish to grant the Joint Motion to Stay and stay the proceedings until a Settlement Stipulation is submitted for Commission review, or until a request to lift the stay of proceedings is filed if settlement negotiations are unsuccessful. Commissioner Kjellander made a motion to grant the Joint Motion to Stay and stay the proceedings until
a Settlement Stipulation is submitted for Commission review, or until a request to lift the stay of proceedings is filed if settlement negotiations are unsuccessful. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously.
The next order of business was FULLY SUBMITTED MATTERS: 13. Deliberation re: In the Matter of Easton Telecom Services, LLC’s Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to Provide Local Exchange Service in Idaho; Case No. ETS-T-20-01 [Matt Hunter, Attorney]. 14. Deliberation re: In the Matter of Optix Media, LLC’s Eligibility to Hold Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity No. 504; Case No. OML-T-20-01 [Matt Hunter, Attorney]. 15. Deliberation re: In the Matter of Fiber Broadband, LLC’s Eligibility to Held Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity No. 526; Case No. FBL-T-20-01 [Matt Hunter, Attorney]. 16. Deliberation re: Application of Rocky Mountain Power for Authorization to Change Depreciation Rates Applicable to Electric Property; Case No. PAC-E-18-08 [Dayn Hardie, Attorney]. Commissioner Kjellander stated that Items 13, 14, 15 and 16 under Fully Submitted Matters would be deliberated privately.
Commissioner Kjellander stated there was no further business before the Commission and the meeting was adjourned.
__________________________ ______________________________ COMMISSION SECRETARY DATE OF APPROVAL