20130211_3966.pdf

DECISION MEMORANDUM 1
DECISION MEMORANDUM

TO: COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
COMMISSIONER REDFORD
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSION SECRETARY
COMMISSION STAFF
LEGAL

FROM: KARL KLEIN
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL

DATE: FEBRUARY 8, 2013

SUBJECT: CASE NOS. AVU-E-12-08 / AVU-G-12-07
GENERAL RATE CASE – ELECTRIC/GAS

On October 11, 2012, Avista applied to the Commission for authority to increase its
electric base rates by $11.4 million (4.6%) and its natural gas base rates by $4.6 million (7.2%).
Application at 1. The Company proposed an April 1, 2013 effective date. See Amendment to
Application. The Commission subsequently suspended the proposed effective date and allowed
the following parties to intervene: Idaho Forest Group; Clearwater Paper; CAPAI; Idaho
Conservation League; and Snake River Alliance (SRA). The Commission also set deadlines for
the parties to file testimony and exhibits and tentatively scheduled a technical hearing date. See
Order Nos. 32671, 32678, 32680 and 32687, and 32689.
Settlement conferences occurred on January 17 and 24, 2013. On February 6, 2013,
the Company, Staff, Idaho Forest Group, Clearwater Paper, and the Idaho Conservation League
filed a Stipulation and Settlement that proposes to fully resolve the case.1 The stipulating parties
agreed that there would be no electric rate increase on April 1, 2013; a 4.9% natural gas increase
on April 1, 2013; a net electric rate increase of 1.9% on October 1, 2013; a net natural gas rate
increase of 0.9% on October 1, 2013; and no additional base rate increases until January 2015.
Additionally, the stipulating parties and CAPAI and SRA agreed to the following amended case
schedule:

1 CAPAI participated in settlement discussions and is continuing to review its position with regard to the Stipulation
and Settlement, and will be filing separate comments and/or testimony in that regard. The SRA, as an intervenor,
was provided notice of the settlement discussions, but did not participate.
DECISION MEMORANDUM 2
DATE ACTIVITY
COMMISSION DECISION
Should the Commission issue a Notice of Proposed Settlement, Notice of Amended
Schedule, and Notice of Public and Technical Hearings?

M:AVU-E-12-08_AVU-G-12-07_kk2