20041108_993.pdf

DECISION MEMORANDUM
TO:COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
CO MMISSI 0 NER SMITH
COMMISSIONER HANSEN
COMMISSION SECRETARY
LEGAL
WORKING FILE
FROM:DANIEL KLEIN
DATE:NOVEMBER 5, 2004
RE:FORMAL COMPLAINT OF KAREN SHELSTAD
On October 27 2004, the Commission received a formal complaint (attached) from Ms.
Karen Shelstad against Idaho Power. Ms. Shelstad is requesting that Idaho Power not charge
more than one minimum service charge to a customer within a 30-day period.
BACKGROUND
Ms. Shelstad is the owner of Fireside Properties which owns an apartment complex
Columbus Square Apartments, in Boise. Idaho Power established a bill date as the 20th of the
month for the apartment complex. She has a continuous service agreement with Idaho Power.
When a tenant discontinues service, account responsibility reverts to Fireside Properties. The
complaint stems from fact that tenants often move during a bill cycle. An example of this
happened in August. A tenant moved out and the service reverted to Fireside Properties on
August 11 2008. The new tenant did not move in until August 24, 2004. Fireside Properties
was billed for service from August 11 to August 20. Then Fireside Properties received another
bill for service from August 20 to August 24. On each bill, Fireside Properties was charged a
minimum service charge of $3.00. Ms. Shelstad does not feel this practice is right, and thinks
Idaho Power should only be allowed to charge one service charge within a 30-day period.
ST AFF ANALYSIS
In Case No. IPC-03-, the Commission approved an increase in the minimum service
charge from $1.00 to $3.00. A customer who receives a bill for a period of less than a full
regular billing cycle will have the customer charge pro-rated as described under Rule G.l and
DECISION MEMORANDUM NOVEMBER 5 , 2004
Schedule 66.11 of the Company s tariff (attached). If the dollar amount that results from the pro-
rating is less than $3., Idaho Power will also bill for an additional amount to bring the total
amount billed for the customer charge up to $3.00. For example, if the customer received a bill
for 9 days worth of service, the pro-rated charge would be 99 cents (9 days out of 30). Because
the amount is less than $3., Idaho Power adds an additional $2.10 charge to the bill to bring
the total charge to $3.00. Property owners who have continuous service agreements will usually
find themselves subject to more than one minimum service charge within a 30-day period
because they will get one bill for a partial billing period after a tenant moves out and then
another bill for a partial billing period after another tenant moves in.
The Commission approved the minimum service charge of $3.00 for residential
customers to more fully recover the average cost for meter reading and billing. The average cost
for meter reading and billing for residential customers is estimated to be about $4.20.
Consequently, the Company incurs cost for every meter read and bill sent out. Therefore, Staff
recommends that the Commission reject the formal complaint and continue to allow the
Company to assess a minimum charge for each bill rendered.
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to accept Ms. Shelstad's formal complaint?
Daniel Klein
i:udmemos/shelstad formal cmplt
DECISION MEMORANDUM NOVEMBER 5 , 2004
liE GEl tiED
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October 10'2004
FiLED
PUC
Jean Jewel
472 W. Washington
Boise ID &3702
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Dear Ms. Jewel:
Weare writing regarding an issue 'that has come to' light concem1ng bi~. from Idaho
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Yower for our apartment complex.
They have:' arbitrarily assigned the' 20~ of the. month as the" day they read the- meters for
our complex. Most-recently a:tenantmoved,onAu~ 11. Wereceivedanotice,Hom;
Idaho- power datea Aug:ust 12; that the service. would De transferred inte, our name- on
8/11104. W-e re,ceived abiU from the period 8/1ll04 to 812tJ/O4listing a s'ernce- charge'
, $3.00. plus, the energy. charges for-the 9 day period:.
Then I recejved a bill after the new tenant put the power in his name on 8/24/04. The bill
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.lh.tf OhA'/AA' t:., 'L.ti' f:: 4't... .J~n.' ...t' l' 1;;.:11 Q:'t'Y'- fltVwas, .lor we penou .I" fv~ to' oi;L;"1'/U"t. ue' uln .tOf wat ,U4,y pen:Ou alSO-- Utl1:e
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us -I'd-: u\!1,
for the minimum service charge plus energy charges of$L19. That bill came to $4.
which included anethe.r. $a.,ot) service charge~ Like the: one; I bad; just )paid on the' prevI()US
bill for the 9 day period noted above.
- I realize th~s is, not a, great deaL of'moneM' b11t each tilrre;tenant.moves:cut 1 have; this;:
issue to contend with and it does add up over time. Idaho Power is collecting 'double
service charges for a 13 day. period! o;f:ti1nejinst: b~ause they;: have Gfe:cide,a that the day
they want to; read the: mete1i' isthe-:-20th of'tne-:mo-ntlih 1 do-not teet mat this is. right and
when I spoke to a supervisor at Idaho Power she informed me there was nothing she
could do, about it but I couId ~te:the PUC- and possibly. they- c:0uld, do sometJiing;about
I would suggest that they cannot charge: more: than one: miU1:trf:tlm,service char.g
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in a 3.0
day-period.
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lw()md-,a.ppreclate:'yoUt~help;lil.-th1s;-matter. Ifyouhave'aIlyqneStlOIlS: yet! may;' reach me
at 362..9499.
Kare Shelstad
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Sep 08 04 06: 38p
IMHO
POWER
An IDACORP company
W,"'W .idahopower .com
p. 1
Page: 2 of 2
Questions? Contact us at:
O. Box 30, Boise, ID 83721
Or call us at 38&-2323 (Treasure Valley)
Sc habla espanol
For faster service please call
Tuesday through Friday. 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.
Customer Name: FIRESIDE PROP
Account Number:
Billing Date:
Print Date:
08/24/2004
08/25/2004
Service Agreement No:
Service Location:
Next Read Date: 09121 (2004
Meter Service Period Number Reading Meter Readings Meter kWh
Number From of Days Type Previous Current Constant Used
08/11/04 08/20/04 ReguJar 81683 81730
Residential
. Rate Schedule
101
Average
Daily Use
Com pal'ison
Bill Nonnalized from 9 days to 30 days .................................................................... $0.00 ,
~: i:~::rg
: ~'~;:;~~' '~~;;;~~ '~~:;~' ~~ $~'~~~~:: :::::::::::::::::::::' ::::::: ::::::: ::::::::::: ::::
Summer Energy Charge 0-300 kWh (Jj) $0.050863 per kWh ,............................,........ $2.39
PCA (Jj) $0.006039 per kWh .................-.....................,................................................... $0.28
Fra;n~bjs~ :r~e 1 %
. .""'~::::.. ~": ~:""""''" "",,-,"""""'" ~:... "'~'" '"""'" '"'" .:. ..................... ....
,'.oo $0.
Conservation Program Funding Charge .......... ...oo,.......... ......oo.-........ ............................. $0.
Federal Columbia River Benefits Supplied by BPA ..................................................... $0.08 CR
Current Charges - Electric Service.............................................................................. ,$5.
This Month This Year:Days =
kWh Billed =
kWh per Day = 5.
This Month Last Y car: '"Days =
kWh Billed =
kWh per Day = 0.
CR = Credit. BLC = Basic Load Capacity
kWh = KiJowatt-hour G = Generation
kW = l(i-lowatt
,. Available afte,' 12 months of service at this location.
---.--- .----
Sere 08 04 06: 38p
Questions? Contact us at:
O, Box 30, Boise, ID 83721
Or call us at 388-2323 (Treasure Valley)
Se habia espana!
For faster service please call
Tuesday 1hrough Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.
Page: 2 of 2IDAHO~POWER Customer Name: FIRESIDE PROP
Account Number:
An IDACORP Company
Billing Date:
Print Date:
08/25/2004
08/26/2004www.idahopower.com
Service Agreement No:
Service Location; 1271
Next Read Date: 09/21/2004
Meter Service Period Number Reading Meter Readings Meter kWh
Numb~r From of Days Type Previous Current Constant Used
08120104 08/24/04 Regular 81730 81750
Bill Normalized from 4 days to 30 days """""""'-
"""""'-"""""""""-"""""""""
.. $0.
_- .
Service Charge """"""""""""'."""""""""""""
; -:.:: -:.....,.,.-,.......
- h"'
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:.......... 0.44 .
This rate has a minimum service charge of $3.00 ...................................................... .
Summer Energy Charge 0-300 kWh (ij) $0.050863 per kWh ....................................
~.
$1.02
PCA
(jj)
$0.006039 per kWh
.......... ......... ....... ........... ......... "'" .......
................................. $0.
Ffiffi:eh~s""fa ct, --"----,,-- u-
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$00.L""
""
7'- ............................,.......................h.......""""","""--......................-...~.. .
Conservation Program Funding Charge ......................................................,............,...., $0.
Federal Columbia River Benefits Supplied by BPA ..................................................... $0.03 CR
Current Charges - Electric Service....................u........................................................ $4.
verage
Daily Use
Comparison
This Month This Year.Days =
kWh Billed =
kWh per Day = 5.
This Month Last Year. *Days = -
kWh Billcd =
kWh per Day =, 0.
CR = Credit BLC = Basic Load Capacity
kWh = Kilowatt-hour G = Generation
kW = Kilowatt
* Available after 12 months of service at this lo ';\tion.
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Idaho Power Company
P, U.C. No, 27. Tariff No.1 01 Oriqinal Sheet No, G-
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMIS$ION Approved Effective
June 1 , 2004 June 1 J 2004
Jean D,Jewel1 Secretary
RULE G
BILLINGS
1. Fractional Periods. Upon initiating or discontinuing service under Schedules 1 , 7, 9, 1924 or 25 the Energy Charge will be caicu!ated using actual meter readings. The En~rgy Charge for
services provided under Schedule 40 will be determined using the daily kwh calculated on the basis ofload size and number of units served multiplied by the aduar number ofdays since the account wasopened or since the previous billing, Where appropriate. The protation of the applicable DemandCharge, Basic Charge , Facilities Charge, and Service Charge specified in the appropriate schedule willbe calculated by dividing the charge by 30 and multiplying the result by the actual number of days since
the account was opened or since the previous meter reading, where appropriate. However, the
prorated Service Charge for Schedules 1 , 7, 9 , 19, 24 , or25 or the Minimum Charge for Schedule 40will be no less than the amount specified in Schedule 66. For Schedule 15 , the proration of theapplicable Monthly Charge will be calculated by dividing the charge by 30 and multiplying the result by
the actual number of days since the account was opened or the previous billing, where ,appropriate;however ' in no event will the charge be less than the amount specified in ,Schedule 66.
2. Corrected Billinqs. Whenever it is determined that, a ~t(~)(:l1er was billed under aninappropriate schedule, the Customer will be rebilled under the appropriate schedule, except if theCompany selected the schedule on the basis of available information 'and ~cted in good faith, the
Company will not be required to rebill or adjust billings. The rebimng period will be no more than the year period as provided by Idaho Code ~61-642.
' '
If the average error for any meter test exceeds J:2 percent, corrected billings will' be prepared.The corrected billings wi!' not exceed 6 months if the time when the malfunction or error began isunknown. If the time when the malfunction or error began is known , the corrected billings will be from that
. time, but will not exceed the 3 year period as provided by Idaho Code ~61 ~642. If an under billing occursthe Company will offer and enter .into reasonable payment arrangements with the Customer. ,For anyover billings, the Customer will have the choice of a refund or a credit on future bills.
3. Due Dates . The Company s practices relating to Due Dates are governed by the UtilityCustomer "Relations RLjles (UCRR) of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, in effect at the time theevent occurred which required application of the UCRR. If the Company s Rules and ReQ~I~tions on
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~ 'fi le~.:withcJh eJ d a h:c5 J?ubJic -Util iti~s:::'C3:drrimjs si.ciii~:c.o.n.takL pr6vis16n s.~wh it?:E~~,~~t:~i1!1.,;
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'-rov TonS-ofth-DCRR persecfe-those Tf1c!ucfed-Tn 'fhe,(;6mp,iny-Rules and Regulations.
4, Returned Checks. Checks or payments remitted by Customers in payment of bills areaccepted conditionally. A Returned Check Charge, as specified in Schedule 66 will be assessed theCustomer for handling each check or payment upon which payment has been refused by the bank.
5. Late Payments. A Late Payment Charge, as provided in Schedule 66 , will be leviedagainst any delinquent account except for accownts of agencies and taxing districts of the State of Idahoas described in paragraph 6 of this ?chedule. All payments received by the billing date will apply to theCustor:ners account prior to calculating the Late Payment Charge. Payments will satisfy the oldestportion of the billing first and the current portion of the billing last.
IDAHO
Issued Per JPUC Order Nos. 29505 and 29506
Effective - June 1 , 2004
Issued by IDAHO POWER COMPANY
John R. Gale, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs
1221 \(Vest Idaho Street, Boise, Idaho
Idaho Power Company IDAHO PUBLIC UTIUTIES COMMISSIONApproved Effective
Oci inal Sheet No. 66-June 1 , 2004 June 1 , 2004
Jean-D. Jewell Secretary
C. No. 27, Tariff No.1 01
SCHEDULE 66
MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES
(Continued)
CHARGES (Continued)
7. Field Collection Charqe. As set forth in Rule F, the Customer will be assessed a FieldCollection Charge according to the table below if bill payments or payment arrangements to prevent
service termination are made during a termination visit.
Schedules 1 , 7, 9
$20.
Schedules 15
$40.
8. Service Connection Charqe. Where service' at the specified Point of Delivery is currently
disconnected from the Company s system , a Service Connection Charge will be applied as defined in the
table below when service is reconnected.
Monday Through Friday Schedules Schedules 15, 19, 24 Company Holidays
42 and Weekends
Customer request between $20.$40.
7:30 am to 6:00 pm
Customer request between $45.$65.7:30 am to 9:00 pm
6:01 pm to 9:00 pm
Customer request between $80..$100.9:01 pm to 7:29 am
9:01 pm to 7:29 am
9. Returned Check Charqe
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charge of $20.00 as set forth in Rule G shaH be made andcollected by the Company.
10. Late Payment Charqe
. ,
As -set forth in Rule G, a Late Payment Charge will be leviedagainst any delinquent account and will be 'omputed at the rate of 12 percent per annum or one percent per month.
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one month will be no less than $3.00 for Schedules 1 and 7, no less than $5.00 for Schedules ,9 and 19
Secondary Service Level, rio less than $1'00 for Schedules 9 and 19 Primary and Transmission Service,
Levels, and no less than $3.00 for ScheduLes 24 and 25. The prorated Monthly Charge for Schedule 15 , will be no less than $3.00. The MinimUm Charg,e for Schedule 40 for periods of less than-one month will
be no less than $1.50.
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12. Temporary Service Return Trip If the conditions stated in Rule Hare not satisfied prior to
the Customer s request for temporary service, a $35.00 charge, per trip, will be billed to the Customerwhenever Company personnel are dispatched to the job site but are unable to connect the service. The
charge will be billed after the conditions ha\(e been satisfied and the connection has been made.
13. Return Trip Charqe When ,a residential Customer supplies the trench , backfill , conduit
and compaction for an underground service, a charge of $50.00 per trip return charge will be assessed the Companis installation cr~w cannot. install cable on the first appointmehfor subsequemt -appointments.
IDAHO
Issued Per IPUC Order Nos. 29505 and 29506
Effective - June 1 , 2004
Issued by IDAHO POWER COMPANY
John R. Gale , Vice President, Regulatory Affairs
1221 West Idaho Street, Boise, Idaho