20191217_dh2.pdf

DECISION MEMORANDUM
TO:COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
COMMISSIONER RAPER
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON
COMMISSION SECRETARY
COMMISSION STAFF
LEGAL
FROM:DAYN HARDIE
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
DATE:DECEMBER 13,2019
SUBJECT:IN THE MATTER OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER’S APPLICATION FOR
AUTHORITY TO MODIFY ELECTRIC SERVICE REGULATION NO.12 FOR
UNDERGROUND LINE EXTENSIONS AND SCHEDULE 300;CASE NO.PAC
E-19-19.
On November 22,2019,Rocky Mountain Power (“Company”),a division of
PaciliCorp,applied to the Commission for authority to revise its Electric Service Regulation No.
12—Line Extension and Electric Service Schedule 300—Regulation Charges.The Company
requests changes to tariff Sheet Nos.12R.2,12R.3,l2R.4,12R.5,12R.6 12R.7,12R.8,12R.9,
I 2R.10,1 2R.11,1 2R.12,1 2R.13,and I 2R.14.The Company requests its Application be processed
by Modified Procedure and the tariff changes have an effective date of February 21,2020.
THE APPLICATION
The Company states the purpose of the changes,generally,is “to clarify the definition
of line extensions by adding substations and distribution or transmission facilities,and proposes
that the same refund process apply to customer-provided underground work as is applied to
customer line extension advances.”
Tariff Sheets No.12R.4,12R.5,and 12R.6 address residential extension allowances,
advances,and refunds.I 2R.4,section 2.a.1,has been modified to provide the same allowance for
upgrades necessitated by added load as is available for new residences.Tariff Sheet Nos.12R.5,
section 2.a.2,and 12R.6,section 2.b.3,were modified to provide for instances when refunds are
due to additional customers and there is customer-provided underground work and customer
acquired right-of-way.
DECISION MEMORANDUM
Modifications to tariff Sheet 1 2R.7 will clarify that the Company will no longer provide
items for underground residential extensions at the customer’s expense.The update to tariff l2R.7
also clarifies that if the customer’s load is of a “speculative nature or questionable permanency”
and exceeds the Company’s engineering limits for distribution voltage then the delivery will be at
transmission voltage.
Additionally,under tariff 12R.7.section 3.a—Non-Residential Extension Allowances
Delivery at 46,000 Volts and Above,the Company seeks authority to clarify that non-residential
customers served at 46,000 volts and above are subject to the same extension allowance provisions
as residential customers served at less than 46,000 volts.Finally,under tariff I 2R.7.sections 3.b.I
and 3.b.2—Non-Residential Extension Allowance Delivery,which covers contract minimums for
non-residential customers who are either remote or have loads over 1,000 kilovolt-amps (kVA”).
would be updated to clarify these customers would pay contract minimum billing for at least five
years but no more than 30 years.Currently,customers could pay contract minimum billing for
potentially as long as service is taken.
Tariff Sheet No.I 2R.8 addresses non-residential customer advances and refunds.The
Company’s proposed modification specifies that “during the five years following construction of
a non-residential line extension upgrade each of the next four 1,000 kVA,or greater,customer
applicants must pay the Company their proportionate share of the upgrade cost.”
Tariff Sheets 12R.9 and 12R.I0,section 4.a will be expanded to define the treatment
of unimproved planned developments.With the modification,Applicants will receive service
under provisions for residential and non-residential extensions.
Tariff Sheet No.12R.1 0,section 4.c will be modified to clarify that “the Company does
not provide refunds on developer advances for facilities inside developments ...[exclusively
serving ...a development.A developer who paid a refundable advance may receive refunds when
an applicant outside the development receives power from ...a primary voltage line installed to,
alongside,or through the development.”
Tariff Sheet 12R.13 will be updated to provide for remote service of non-residential
loads.Under the modification,the Company will furnish facilities to remote,non-residential loads,
but if the cost of providing service is greater than five time the estimated annual revenue,the
DECISION MEMORANDUM 2
Contract Minimum Billing will continue for as long as service continues unless and until the load
is no longer distant nor isolated.’
Tariff Sheet 12R.14,section 6.a,will specify that an applicant or customer may request
the Company to relocate distribution facilities on to,or adjacent to,the customer’s premises,
and/or,replace existing overhead distribution facilities with comparable underground.
Lastly,Schedule No.300 will update facilities charges used for line extension contract
minimum billings under Tariff Sheet 300.3.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Commission issue a Notice of Application and Notice of
Modified Procedure.Staff recommends a February 5,2020 public comment deadline,and a
February 12,2020 Company reply comment deadline.
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to issue a Notice of Application and Notice of Modified
Procedure,with public comments due by February 5,2020 and Company reply comments due by
February 12,2020?
cnHardie
Deputy Attorney General
I:\lsgal\E1.ECTRICWAC.E.19.19\mcmos\PACEI9I9_dtc mema_dh.docx
This is an exception to changes to Sheet No.12R.7,sections 3.b.1 and 3.b.2,which limit the Contract Minimum Billing to no
more than 30 years.
DECISION MEMORANDUM 3