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Home My WebLink Aboutgas.pdf2002 ANNUAL REPORTPage 1 IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION The Idaho Public Utilities Commission regulates three natural gas utilities - Intermountain Gas Company, Avista Utilities and Questar Gas. Intermountain Gas supplies natural gas to southern Idaho, serving more than 220,000 customers. Avista has gas operations in eastern Washington and northern Idaho, serving more than 57,000 customers in northern Idaho. In June 1990, Questar Gas - then known as Mountain Fuel Supply Co. - of Salt Lake City, Utah, applied to the commission for authority to serve Idaho customers in the Preston area. Questar provides service to a small number of customers in southeast Idaho, but its rates are set by the Utah commission pursuant to Idaho Code 61-505. Together, the commission and the Idaho Legislature amended Idaho Code 61-505, clarifying the commission’s ability to contract with neighboring state regulators to regulate rates in Idaho border communities served by the neighboring state’s utilities. The amendment encourages such utilities to extend service into Idaho without incurring undue regulatory expense. When natural gas reached Idaho communities in the 1950s, local distribution companies’ supply came from the Northwest Pipeline Corporation of Salt Lake City. The pipeline serves much of the Pacific Northwest, connect- ing the Four Corners fields of the southwest with Canadian supply. Intermountain Avista Questar Total Customers 222,976 57,328 1,581 281,885 % of Total 79.1% 20.34% 0.56% 100% Therms (millions)522.5 135.7 1.5 659.7 % of Total Therms 79.2% 20.57% 0.23% 100% Revenue (millions) $208.51 $57.96 $1.16 $267.63 % of Total Revenue 77.91% 21.66% 0.43% 100% Idaho Natural Gas Utilities IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION Page 22002 ANNUAL REPORT INTERMOUNTAIN GAS COMPANY Residential Commercial Industrial Transportation Total Customers 199,331 23,529 11 105 222,976 % of Total 89.396% 10.552% 0.05% 0.047% 100% Therms (millions)163.2 95.5 3.2 260.6 522.5 %of Total Therms 31.23% 18.28% 0.61% 49.88% 100% Revenue (millions)$127.24 $68.72 $1.66 $10.89 $208.51 % of Total 61.02% 32.96% 0.80% 5.22% 100% AVISTA UTILITIES Idaho services only Residential Commercial Industrial Transportation Total Customers 50,440 6,772 106 10 57,328 % of Total 87.85% 11.94% 0.19% 0.01% 100% Therms (millions)38.4 25.9 3.5 67.9 135.7 %of Total Therms 28.49% 19.44% 3.07% 49% 100% Revenue (millions)$33.62 $21.01 $2.58 $0.75 $57.96 % of Total 59.20% 34.46% 4.65% 1.68% 100% QUESTAR GAS COMPANY Idaho services only Residential Commercial Industrial Transportation Total Customers 1,580 1 0 0 1,581 % of Total 99.93% 0.07% 0.00% 0.00% 100% Therms (millions)1.4 0.1 0.0 0.0 1.5 %of Total Therms 94.61% 5.39% 0.00% 0.00% 100% Revenue (millions)$1.12 $0.04 $0.00 $0.00 $1.16 % of Total 96.26% 3.74% 0.00%0.00% 100% The state’s gas prices have decreased slightly after rapid increases, following national trends. 2002 ANNUAL REPORTPage 3 IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION Intermountain Gas Company 555 S. Cole Road P O Box 7608 Boise, ID 83707 208-377-6840 (Boise) 208-365-3004 (Emmett) 208-788-3488 (Hailey) 208-522-6095 (Idaho Falls) 208-467-7491 (Nampa) Residential Rates (RS2, customers using gas for both space and water heating) Summer $2.50/month $0.57698/therm Winter $6.50/mo $0.54335/therm July 1, 2002 INTERMOUNTAIN CUSTOMERS GET 28% DECREASE Case No. INT-G-02-3, Order No. 29068 Intermountain Gas residential customers are getting about a 28 percent decrease in their gas rates. The reduction reflects the lower prices Intermountain Gas has been paying to wholesalers in recent months. The company had proposed a 24 percent decrease and over-collecting $8.2 million to offset likely rate increases next year and promote rate stabiliza- tion. The commission denied the over-collection, saying customers should receive the benefit of decreased lower wholesale gas prices as they occur. “Although the company’s proposal to over-collect $8.2 million to offset a likely rate increase next year is well-intended, the commission will not breach the commitment it made to ratepayers to pass through the full rate decrease,” the commissioners said. The expiration of temporary credits next year and the possibility of higher wholesale prices point to a likely increase next year. Therefore, the commission urged the company to continue its education efforts to help custom- ers reduce their energy needs. The order also asked that the company adjust level-pay plans for customers to accommodate the rate decrease as soon as possible. The decrease for the average residential customer who uses natural gas for space heating only – using about 49 therms a month – is about $12.37 a month, or 25.3 percent. For residential customers who use natural gas for space and water heating – consuming about 65 therms a month – will see a monthly decrease of about $18.17 or 28.1 percent. Commercial customers using the average of 259 therms per month will see a decrease of about $76.78 per month, or 29.7 percent. Because of changes in Intermountain’s gas-related costs, the proposed decreases in prices and revenues will not affect the company’s earnings. Gas Utility Case Reviews IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION Page 42002 ANNUAL REPORT October 30, 2002 COMMISSION OKs AVISTA GAS REDUCTION Case No. AVU-G-02-2, Order No. 29142 The Idaho Public Utilities Commission approved a reduction for cus- tomers of Avista Gas that averages about 15.64 percent. The reduction approved is slightly higher than the average 15.5 percent proposed by the company. Lower current and projected wholesale prices for natural gas resulted in the decrease for Avista’s 56,000 customers in northern Idaho. The new rates are effective Nov. 1. For the average residential customer, the decrease is about $10.50 per month, or 14.9 percent. The average price is about 75.7 cents per therm, a 14- cent reduction from current rates. Commercial customers will see a decrease of about 17.4 percent and industrial customers about 19 percent. Commissioners expressed relief that gas prices are returning to near historic levels after unprecedented increases during the last two years. “As a result of the increased commodity prices that Avista paid its suppliers in 2000 and 2001, the commission approved a substantial rate in- crease,” commissioners said. “Needless to say, we are relieved that Avista customers will finally experience rate relief.” Questar Gas Company 180 E. First South Salt Lake City, UT 84139 801-324-51120 Residential Rates Summer $5.00/mo $0.433548/therm $0.330883/therm over 45 therms Winter $5.00/mo $0.518495/therm $0.405118/therm over 45 therms Avista Utilities P O Box 3727 Spokane, WA 99220 509-489-0500 (Spokane) 208-664-0421 (Coeur d’Alene) 208-743-5541 (Lewiston) 208-882-7511 (Moscow) Residential Rates Basic Charge $3.28 $0.47011/therm