20040112_731.pdf

DECISION MEMORANDUM
TO:CO MMISSI 0 NER KJELLAND ER
COMMISSIONER SMITH
CO MMISSI 0 NER HANSEN
COMMISSION SECRETARY
COMMISSION STAFF
FROM:DON HOWELL
DATE:JANUARY 5, 2004
RE:IDAHO POWER'S PETITION TO CONSOLIDATE ITS ANNUAL DSM
PLAN AND ITS CONSERVATION PLAN INTO A SINGLE REPORT, CASE
NO. IPC-03-
On December 19, 2003, Idaho Power filed a Petition urging the Commission to
modify the reporting requirements contained in two prior Commission Orders. In Order
No. 22299 issued in January 1989 , the Commission directed electric utilities to annually submit a
Conservation Plan" no later than April 15 of each year. In Order No. 29026 issued in May
2002, the Commission required Idaho Power to file an annual "DSM Plan" by January 30 each
year. The DSM Plan details the Company s conservation activities including the Energy
Efficiency Advisory Group s (EEAG) recommendations, the Company s responses to the EEAG
recommendations; program costs; accounting and costs; and information on new DSM
opportunities. Petition at 2.
THE PETITION
The Company requests that the Commission authorize the Company to consolidate its
Conservation Plan and DSM Plan into a single report that would be filed annually. The
Company maintains that consolidation of the information contained in these two plans would
eliminate duplication and would be more efficient for the Company. Id. at 3. The Company
asserts that consolidation would result in a single public report containing "all the information
relating to Idaho Power s conservation and DSM efforts.Id.
If the Commission approves of consolidating the two plans, the Company suggests
that the consolidated report be filed no later than March 15 of each year. This would provide the
Company with sufficient time in which to retrieve year-end information on DSM activities and
DECISION MEMORANDUM
audit the DSM tariff rider funds. If approved, Idaho Power would file its first consolidated
report no later than March 15, 2004.
The Company also suggested that this matter be processed under Modified Procedure.
STAFF ANALYSIS
The Staff does not oppose the Company s Petition and believes that it is appropriate
to consolidate the two separate reporting requirements. Idaho Code ~ 61-624 provides that the
Commission may rescind, alter or amend any Order or decision made by the Commission. This
section also provides that the affected utility must be notified and provided an opportunity "to be
heard" before amending a prior Order. In this case, it is the utility requesting that the
Commission amend two prior Orders.
The Staff also believes that it is appropriate to set the filing deadline no later than
March 15 of each year, with the first report due no later than March 15, 2004.
Although the Company has suggested that this matter may be processed under
Modified Procedure, the Staff believes that Modified Procedure is unnecessary. Because the
Company seeks only procedural relief instead of substantive relief, the Staff believes that the
Commission may simply grant the Petition.
31.01.01.256.03.
See e.Procedural Rule 256.IDAPA
COMMISSION DECISION
1. Does the Commission wish to process this matter under Modified Procedure or
consider simply granting the procedural relief requested by the Company?
2. If no Modified Procedure, does the Commission believe it is appropriate to
consolidate the DSM Plan and the Conservation Plan into a single report?
3. Does the Commission wish to have the consolidated report filed no later than
March 15 annually?
Don Howell
Vld/M:IPCEO319
DECISION MEMORANDUM