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Home My WebLink Aboutintro.pdf Idaho Public Utilities Commission 472 West Washington Street Boise, Idaho 83702 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 83720 Boise, Idaho 83720-0074 208/334-0300 Web site: www.puc.idaho.gov Commission Secretary 334-0338 jean.jewell@puc.idaho.gov Executive Administrator 334-0330 Public Information Officer 334-0339 gene.fadness@puc.idaho.gov. Utilities Division 334-0368 Legal Division 334-0324 Rail Section and Pipeline Safety 334-0330 Consumer Assistance Section 334-0369 Outside Boise, Toll-Free Consumer Assistance 1-800-432-0369 Idaho Telephone Relay Service (available statewide) Voice: 1-800-377-1363 Text Telephone: 1-800-377-3529 TRS Information: 1-800-368-6185 --PAGE 1-- Introduction The commission shall make and submit to the governor on or before the first day of December of each year, a report containing a full and complete account of its transactions and proceedings for the preceding fiscal year, ending June thirtieth, together with such other facts, suggestions, and recommendations as it may deem of value to the people of the state. Public Utilities Law Idaho Code 61-214 With this report, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission has satisfied Idaho Code 61-214; this is a “full and complete account” of the most significant cases to come before the commission during the 2006 calendar year. (The financial report on Page 6 covers Fiscal Year July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007.) Anyone with access to the Internet may also review the commission’s agendas, notices, case information and decisions by visiting the IPUC’s Web site at: www.puc.idaho.gov. Commission records are also available for public inspection at the commission’s Boise office, 472 W. Washington St., Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A nominal fee of 5 cents per page may be charged for the cost of copying, typically for 30 or more pages. The Idaho Public Utilities Commission, as outlined in its 2001 Strategic Plan, serves the citizens and utilities of Idaho by determining fair, just and reasonable rates for utility commodities and services that are to be delivered safely, reliably and efficiently. During the period covered by this report, the commission also had responsibility for ensuring all rail services operating within Idaho do so in a safe and efficient manner. The commission also has a pipeline safety section that oversees the safe operation of the intrastate natural gas pipelines and facilities in Idaho. --PAGE 2-- Access this entire report online at www.puc.idaho.gov Click on “File Room,” and then on “IPUC 2007 Annual Report.” For questions about the commission or this report, call Gene Fadness at 208.334.0339 or e-mail gene.fadness@puc.idaho.gov The Commissioners Mack Redford was appointed to the commission in February 2007 by Gov. Butch Otter. His term expires in 2013. At the time of his appointment, Commissioner Redford practiced law for the Boise-based firm of Elam & Burke PA, specializing in commercial transactions, construction and engineering law, mediation, real estate and general business. Redford grew up in the Weiser and Caldwell areas, graduating from Caldwell High School. He received both his bachelor’s and law degree from the University of Idaho and in 1967 became a deputy in the Idaho attorney general’s office. In 1977, he became a deputy attorney general for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, headquartered in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. The territory included a chain of 2,000 islands stretching from Hawaii to the Philippines. In 1981, Redford became general counsel for Morrison Knudsen Engineers and Morrison Knudsen International, a position that took him to Saudi Arabia where MK was building the King Khalid Military City. In 1990-91, Redford was based in Folkestone, England, where he was legal counsel for the Channel Tunnel Contractors, the builders of the 31-mile Channel Tunnel connecting England and France. It is the second-largest rail tunnel in the world. In 1992, Commissioner Redford joined the Boise firm of Park & Burkett. In 1993, he was retained by the World Bank of the Government of Nepal as contract and claims counsel for the Arun Ill Hydroelectric Project. In 1996, he became general counsel for Micron Construction, which was later acquired by Kaiser Engineers. He joined Elam & Burke in 2001. Commissioner Redford and his wife, Nancy, are the parents of two children. Jim Kempton began his service on the commission on Oct. 22. 2007. Kempton was appointed by Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter to fill the unexpired term of Commissioner Paul Kjellander. Gov. Otter appointed Kjellander to head the newly created Office of Energy Resources. Kempton’s appointment is subject to confirmation by the State Senate when it meets in January 2008. Before he was appointed to the commission, Kempton was one of two Idaho representatives on the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, appointed to that post by former Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne. While on the council, he also acted as a natural resource cabinet member for Gov. Otter. Kempton, of Albion, was a member of the Idaho House of Representatives from 1991-2000, where he served on the House Revenue and Taxation Committee and chaired the Transportation and Defense Committee. Earlier, he served for two years on the Environmental Affairs Committee. Kempton earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in physics from the University of Idaho. He was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force and an assistant professor of physics at the United States Air -- PAGE 3 -- Force Academy. He also worked in the Pentagon as Department of Defense liaison between the Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of Defense on international co-production programs. His Pentagon assignments included Air Force research and development responsibilities in the F-16 fighter program and coordinating Iranian Program Review briefings to the Secretary of the Air Force. He returned to Idaho in 1981 and was engaged in ranching until 1990, when he was elected to the Idaho Legislature. He is a former member of the "Idaho EPSCoR" Board, a National Science Foundation experimental program to stimulate competitive research. He and his wife, Susan, are the parents of two grown daughters. Marsha H. Smith is serving her third term on the commission. Her current term expires in January 2009. Smith, a Democrat, served as commission president from November 1991 to April 1995. In November 2007, Commissioner Smith was elected president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), and will serve through November 2008. She serves on the NARUC Board and Executive Committee, is a member of NARUC’s Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment and past chair of NARUC’s Electricity Committee. She is an elected member of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council Board of Directors, co-chair of the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency and co-chair of the Steering Committee of the Northern Tier Transmission Group. She represents Idaho on the Western Interconnection Regional Advisory Body and chaired the Western Interstate Energy Board’s Committee for Regional Electric Power Cooperation from October 1999 to October 2005. She is a member of the Electric Power Research Institute's Advisory Council, the National Council for Electricity Policy Steering Committee, the Harvard Electricity Policy Group, the Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions, the Western Conference of Public Service Commissioners and the Idaho State Bar. Smith received a bachelor of science degree in biology/education from Idaho State University, a master of library science degree from Brigham Young University and her law degree from the University of Washington. Before her appointment to the commission, Commissioner Smith served as deputy attorney general in the business regulation/consumer affairs division of the Office of the Idaho Attorney General and as deputy attorney general for the Idaho Public Utilities Commission. She was the commission's director of Policy and External Affairs and chair of the NARUC Staff Subcommittee on Telecommunications. A fourth-generation Idahoan, Commissioner Smith has two sons. --PAGE 4-- IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION, 1913-2005 Commissioner From To J. A. Blomquist May 8, 1913 Jan. 11, 1915 A. P. Ramstedt May 8, 1913 Feb. 8, 1917 D. W. Standrod May 8, 1913 Dec. 1, 1914 John W. Graham Dec. 1, 1914 Jan. 13, 1919 A. L. Freehafer Jan. 14, 1915 Jan. 31, 1921 George E. Erb Dec. 8, 1917 April 14, 1923 Everett M. Sweeley May 23, 1919 Aug. 20, 1923 J. M. Thompson Feb. 1, 1921 Dec. 20, 1932 Will H. Gibson April 16, 1923 June 29, 1929 F. C. Graves Sept. 7, 1923 Nov. 12, 1924 Frank E. Smith March 6, 1925 Feb. 25, 1931 J. D. Rigney July 2, 1929 Sept. 30, 1935 M. Reese Hattabaugh March 2, 1931 Jan. 26, 1943 Harry Holden March 27, 1933 Jan. 31, 1939 J. W. Cornell Oct. 1, 1935 Jan. 11, 1947 R. H. Young Feb. 1, 1939 March 19, 1944 B. Auger Feb. 1, 1943 March 9, 1951 J. D. Rigney March 30, 1944 April 30, 1945 W. B. Joy May 1, 1945 March 9, 1951 H. N. Beamer Jan. 17, 1947 Dec. 31, 1958 George R. Jones March 12, 1951 Jan. 31, 1957 H. C. Allen March 12, 1951 Feb. 28, 1957 A. O. Sheldon March 1, 1957 June 30, 1967 Frank E. Meek Feb. 1, 1957 Feb. 5, 1964 Ralph H. Wickberg Jan. 14, 1959 Feb. 23, 1981 Harry L. Nock May 1, 1964 Sept. 30, 1974 Ralph L. Paris July 1, 1967 Oct. 5, 1967 J. Burns Beal Dec. 1, 1967 April 1, 1973 Robert Lenaghen April 1, 1973 April 15, 1979 M. Karl Shurtliff Oct. 1, 1974 Dec. 31, 1976 Matthew J. Mullaney Jan. 2, 1977 Feb. 15, 1977 Conley Ward, Jr. March 7, 1977 Feb. 9, 1987 Perry Swisher April 16, 1979 Jan. 21, 1991 Richard S. High Feb. 24, 1981 April 30, 1987 Dean J. Miller March 16, 1987 Jan. 30, 1995 Ralph Nelson May 4, 1987 Feb. 12, 1999 Marsha H. Smith Jan. 21, 1991 Now Serving Dennis S. Hansen Feb. 1, 1995 Feb. 19, 2007 Paul Kjellander Feb. 15, 1999 Oct. 19, 2007 Mack Redford Feb. 19, 2007 Now serving Jim Kempton Oct. 22, 2007 Now serving --PAGE 5-- Financial Summary IPUC FISCAL YEAR 2003 - FISCAL YEAR 2007 Description FY2003 FY2004 FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 Personnel Costs $3,314,191 $3,481,404 $3,561,082 $3,637,402 $3,467,401 Travel $137,710 $157,869 $154,345 $144,840 $146,491 Consultants $45,924 $25,197 $590 $40,518 $13,949 Subscriptions $18,603 $19,804 $21,574 $21,722 $28,321 Emp. Training $18,876 $30,447 $35,553 $34,424 $28,827 Postage $13,086 $11,265 $10,798 $8,408 $8,027 Telephone $24,580 $29,009 $32,517 $31,497 $28,007 Office Supplies $13,240 $15,063 $17,309 $14,709 $12,824 Office Rent $227,965 $226,441 $226,357 $115,468 $355,643 Maintenance $14,613 $9,666 $17,724 $8,652 $14,223 Insurance $6,084 $4,930 $1,407 $1,487 $2,702 Office Equip. $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $8,690 Computer Equip. $0.00 $0.00 $38,049 $22,874 $26,809 Comm.’s Equip. $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $3,973 $0.00 Other Equip. $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $20,082 $0.00 Other Expenses $97,093 $99,264 $114,470 $108,604 $113,671 ============================================================ Total Expenditures $3,931,965 $4,110,359 $4,231,955 $4,214,660 $4,255,596 Appropriations $4,399,400 $4,581,800 $4,612,300 $4,754,600 $4,545,300 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unexpended Balance $467,435 $471,441 $380,345 $539,940 $289,704 --PAGE 6-- Commission Structure and Operations Under state law, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission supervises and regulates Idaho’s investor- owned utilities – electric, gas, telecommunications and water – assuring adequate service and affixing just, reasonable and sufficient rates. The commission does not regulate publicly owned, municipal or cooperative utilities. In setting rates, the commission must consider the needs of both the utility and its customers. Customers must be ensured of paying a reasonable rate and utilities must be allowed to recover their legitimate costs of serving their customers and earn a fair rate of return. IPUC decisions can be appealed to the Idaho Supreme Court. The governor appoints the three commissioners with confirmation by the Idaho Senate. No more than two commissioners may be of the same political party. The commissioners serve staggered six-year terms. Vacancies that occur when the Idaho Senate is not in session are filled by gubernatorial appointment subject to confirmation by the Senate upon reconvening in regular session. The governor may remove a commissioner before his/her term has expired for dereliction of duty, corruption or incompetence. The three-member commission was established by the 12th Session of the Idaho Legislature and was organized May 8, 1913 as the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Idaho. In 1951 it was reorganized as the Idaho Public Utilities Commission. Statutory authorities for the commission are established in Idaho Code titles 61 and 62. The IPUC has quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial as well as executive powers and duties. In its quasi-legislative capacity, the commission sets rates and makes rules governing utility operations. In its quasi-judicial mode, the commission hears and decides complaints, issues written orders that are similar to court orders and may have its decisions appealed to the Idaho Supreme Court. In its executive capacity, the commission enforces state laws and rules affecting the utilities and rail industries. Commission operations are funded by fees assessed on the utilities and railroads it regulates. Annual assessments are set by the commission each year in April within limits set by law. The commission president is its chief executive officer. Commissioners meet on the first Monday in April in odd-numbered years to elect one of their own to a two-year term as president. The president signs --PAGE 7-- Why can’t you just say “no”? That’s one of the more frequent questions the commission gets when utilities file for a rate increase. Many Idahoans believe utilities should operate like any other business and find ways to cut costs when times are tough. While it’s true utilities can and should cut costs, regulated utilities are not like any other business. They are monopolies (hence, the need for regulation) that offer a service essential to public health and welfare. They cannot be allowed to fail. They are assigned territories in which they must serve. They must serve every customer in that territory and cannot diminish or enlarge their territory without commission approval. They cannot cut back on service to customers when costs become high. They also cannot increase or decrease their rates without commission approval. In return for their commitment to adequately serve every customer in their assigned territory at a rate the commission determines, utilities are guaranteed recovery of prudently incurred expenses and a rate of return deemed reasonable by industry standards. When the commission denies cost recovery to a utility, it must be able to legally demonstrate why the utility’s costs were not prudently incurred or in the best interests of customers. All commission decisions can be appealed to the state Supreme Court. contracts on the commission’s behalf, is the final authority in personnel matters and handles other administrative tasks. Chairmanship of individual cases is rotated among all three commissioners. The commission conducts its business in two types of meetings – hearings and decision meetings. Formal hearings on utility and railroad issues are held on a case-by-case basis, often in the service area of the utility under consideration to allow maximum public participation. These hearings resemble judicial proceedings and are recorded as well as transcribed by a court reporter. Formal parties to the case under consideration present testimony and evidence, subject to cross-examination by attorneys and staff from the other parties and the commissioners. Members of the general public may testify before the commission at a hearing without prior notice or formal intervention. However, those seeking the full rights of parties - such as the right to cross-examine other witnesses or to make and argue motions - must file a petition for “intervenor” status. To provide for more public input in a less formal setting, commission staff members have begun traveling to areas impacted by potential commission decisions to conduct workshops. Unlike a formal hearing where members of the public testify but cannot ask questions of commissioners, a workshop allows citizens to ask questions and offer suggestions to commission staff. The commission also conducts regular decision meetings to consider issues on an agenda prepared by the commission secretary and posted in advance of the meeting. These meetings are usually held Mondays at 1:30 p.m., although by law the commission is required to meet only once a month. Members of the public are welcome to attend decision meetings. Typically, decision meetings consist of the commission’s review of decision memoranda prepared by commission staff. Minutes of the meetings are taken and decisions reached at these meetings are preliminary, becoming final only when issued in a written order signed by a majority of the commission. --PAGE 8-- Commission Staff To help ensure its decisions are fair and workable, the commission employs a staff of about 50 people – engineers, rate analysts, attorneys, accountants, investigators, economists, secretaries and other support personnel. The commission staff is organized in three divisions – administration, legal and utilities. The staff analyzes each petition, complaint, rate increase request or application for an operating certificate received by the commission. In formal proceedings before the commission, the staff acts as a separate party to the case, presenting its own testimony, evidence and expert witnesses. The commission considers staff recommendations along with those of other participants in each case - including utilities, public, agricultural, industrial, business and consumer groups. Administration The Administrative Division is responsible for coordinating overall IPUC activities. The division includes the three commissioners, two policy strategists, a commission secretary, an executive administrator, an executive assistant, a public information officer and support personnel. The two policy strategists are executive level positions reporting directly to the commissioners with policy and technical consultation and research support regarding major regulatory issues in the areas of electricity, telecommunications, water and natural gas. Strategists are also charged with developing comprehensive policy strategy, providing assistance and advice on major litigation before the commission, public agencies and organizations. (Contact Lou Ann Westerfield, 334-0323, and Wayne Hart, 334- 0354, policy analysts.) The commission secretary, a post established by Idaho law, keeps a precise public record of all commission proceedings. The secretary issues notices, orders and other documents to the proper parties and is the official custodian of documents issued by and filed with the commission. Most of these documents are public records. (Contact Jean Jewell, commission secretary, at 334-0338.) The executive administrator has primary responsibility for the commission’s fiscal and administrative operations, preparing the commission budget and supervising fiscal, administration, public information, personnel, information systems, rail section operations and pipeline safety. The executive administrator also serves as a liaison between the commission and other state agencies and the Legislature. (Contact Ron Law, executive administrator, at 334-0331.) The executive assistant is responsible for the commission’s Website, electronic filings and other special projects assigned by the commissioners. (Contact Tonya Clark, executive assistant, at 334-0316.) The public information officer is responsible for informing the public and the media of commission decisions, meetings and activities; responding to requests for information; coordinating public hearings, preparing materials that allow for effective public participation in IPUC proceedings and preparing the annual report. (Contact Gene Fadness, public information officer, at 334-0339.) --PAGE 9-- Legal Division Five deputy attorneys general are assigned to the commission from the Office of the Attorney General and have permanent offices at IPUC headquarters. The IPUC attorneys represent the staff in all matters before the commission, working closely with staff accountants, engineers, investigators and economists as they develop their recommendations for rate case and policy proceedings. In the hearing room, IPUC attorneys coordinate the presentation of the staff’s case and cross- examine other parties who submit testimony. The attorneys also represent the commission itself in state and federal courts and before other state or federal regulatory agencies. (Contact Don Howell, legal division director, at 334-0312.) Utilities Division The Utilities Division, responsible for technical and policy analysis of utility matters before the commission, is divided into three sections. (Contact Randy Lobb, utilities division administrator, at 334-0350.) The Accounting Section of seven auditors audits utility books and records to verify reported revenue, expenses and compliance with commission orders. Staff auditors present the results of their findings in audit reports as well as in formal testimony and exhibits. When a utility requests a rate increase, cost-of-capital studies are performed to determine a recommended rate of return. Revenues, expenses and investments are analyzed to determine the amount needed for the utility to earn the recommended return on its investment. (Contact Terri Carlock, accounting section supervisor, at 334-0356.) The Engineering Section, which includes five engineers, reviews the physical operations of utilities. Staff engineers determine the cost of serving various types of customers, design utility rates and allocate costs between Idaho and the other states served by Idaho utilities. They determine the cost effectiveness of conservation and co-generation programs, evaluate the adequacy of utility services and frequently help resolve customer complaints. The group develops computer models of utility operations and reviews utility forecasts of energy usage and the need for new facilities. (Contact Dave Schunke, engineering section supervisor, at 334-0355.) The Telecommunications Section includes three analysts who handle issues involving telecommunications. (Contact Joe Cusick, section supervisor, at 334-0333.) The Consumer Assistance Section includes six division investigators who resolve conflicts between utilities and their customers. Customers faced with service disconnections often seek help in negotiating payment arrangements. Consumer Assistance may mediate disputes over billing, deposits, line extensions and other service problems. (Contact Beverly Barker, administrator for the Consumer Assistance section, at 334-0302.) Consumer Assistance monitors Idaho utilities to verify they are complying with commission orders and regulations. Investigators participate in general rate and policy cases when rate design and customer service issues are brought before the commission. Most consumers contact the commission by telephone or by e-mail, via the commission’s Website. Staff members may negotiate payment arrangements with utilities on behalf of consumers and, when appropriate, refer clients to social service agencies, financial aid programs or budget counseling services. As traditionally regulated services become deregulated, the Consumer Assistance Section’s role of educating consumers and mitigating complaints with non-regulated utilities has increased. The increase in companies providing services equates to an increase in consumer inquiries and complaints. Also on the increase are disputes between companies providing services, especially among telecommunications providers. The Consumer Assistance Section is also responsible for conducting quality of service and compliance investigations and customer satisfaction surveys. --PAGE 10-- Rail Section The Rail Section oversees the safe operations of railroads that move passengers and freight in and through Idaho and enforces state and federal regulations safeguarding the transportation of hazardous materials by rail in Idaho. The commission’s rail safety specialist inspects railroad crossings and rail clearances for safety and maintenance deficiencies. The Rail Section investigates all railroad-crossing accidents and makes recommendations for safety improvements to crossings. As part of its regulatory authority, the commission evaluates the discontinuance and abandonment of railroad service in Idaho by conducting an independent evaluation of each case to determine whether the abandonment of a particular railroad line would adversely affect Idaho shippers and whether the line has any profit potential. Should the commission determine abandonment would be harmful to Idaho interests, it then represents the state before the federal Surface Transportation Board, which has authority to grant or deny line abandonments. (Contact Ron Law, rail section supervisor, at 334-0331.) Pipeline Safety Program The pipeline safety section oversees the safe operation of the intrastate natural gas pipelines and facilities in Idaho. The commission’s pipeline safety personnel verify compliance of state and federal regulations by on-site inspections of intrastate gas distribution systems operating in the state. Part of the inspection process includes a review of record-keeping practices and compliance with design, construction, operation, maintenance and drug/alcohol abuse regulations. Key objectives of the program are to monitor accidents and violations, to identify their contributing factors and to implement practices to avoid accidents. All reportable accidents will be investigated and appropriate reports filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation in a timely manner. (Contact Ron Law, pipeline safety program supervisor, at 334-0331.) --PAGE 11-- Commission Website www.puc.idaho.gov The commission was proud to be a leader in state government Web sites and has been online since 1995. The commission recognizes the need to provide information to the public in whatever media is available. Currently, citizens can file complaints about a utility or comment on a current case via our Web site. They can access our rules, statutes, annual report, orders, press releases, commission agendas, and other special reports online. Most of the major utilities’ tariffs, annual reports and case filings are also available to the public on our Web site. Citizens can subscribe to a multitude of e-mail lists or RSS feeds, allowing them to receive information automatically, including commission agendas, orders and press releases. Consumer information, including a description of the commission’s processes and how a consumer may provide input to the commission is also available from the Web site. The commission is committed to meeting the information needs of our citizens. We encourage participation in the commission process via the Internet. --PAGE 12-- Commissioner News For the first time in eight years, the make-up of commissioners serving on the Idaho Public Utilities Commission changed twice during 2007. In February, newly-elected Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter named Mack Redford to replace Dennis Hansen whose second term on the commission had expired. In October, Gov. Otter moved the Energy Division out of the Idaho Department of Water Resources and gave the division its own independent status at the Office of Energy Resources. To head that new office, Gov. Otter appointed Paul Kjellander, who at the time was the president of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission. Kjellander left the commission after serving eight years. Gov. Otter named Jim Kempton, a former legislator and Idaho delegate on the Northwest Power Planning Council to replace Kjellander. At that time, Commissioner Redford was elected president of the commission. Gov. Otter Redford begins service on Idaho commission Mack Redford, a Boise attorney, began serving a six-year term on the Idaho Public Utilities Commission in February. Redford replaced Dennis Hansen who retired after serving 12 years on the commission. Redford, a Republican, was appointed by Gov. Butch Otter and confirmed on Feb. 19 by the Senate. At the time of his appointment, Commissioner Redford practiced law for the Boise-based firm of Elam & Burke PA, specializing in commercial transactions, construction and engineering law, mediation, real estate and general business. Redford, 69, grew up in the Weiser and Caldwell areas, graduating from Caldwell High School. He received both his bachelor’s and law degree from the University of Idaho and in 1967 became a deputy in the Idaho attorney general’s office. In 1977, he became a deputy attorney general for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, headquartered in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. The territory included a chain of 2,000 islands stretching from Hawaii to the Philippines. In 1981, Redford became general counsel for Morrison Knudsen Engineers and Morrison Knudsen International, a position that took him to Saudi Arabia where MK was building the King Khalid Military City. In 1990-91, Redford was based in Folkestone, England, where he was legal counsel for the Channel Tunnel Contractors, the builders of the 31-mile Channel Tunnel connecting England and France. It is the second-largest rail tunnel in the world. -- PAGE 13 -- In 1992, Commissioner Redford joined the Boise firm of Park & Burkett. In 1993, he was retained by the World Bank of the Government of Nepal as contract and claims counsel for the Arun Ill Hydroelectric Project. In 1996, he became general counsel for Micron Construction, which was later acquired by Kaiser Engineers. He joined Elam & Burke in 2001. Redford’s volunteer service includes: commissioner and past president of the Idaho State Bar; member and past president of the University of Idaho Foundation; a consultant for the Service Corps or Retired Executives (SCORE); and an avid Idaho Vandal booster. Redford and his wife, Nancy, are the parents of two children. Kempton moves from Power Council to PUC When Gov. Otter appointed former Commission President Paul Kjellander to head up his newly created Office of Energy Resources, he didn’t have to look far to find another expert in energy-related issues to fill Kjellander’s shoes on the Public Utilities Commission. Just a block away from the PUC is the Idaho office of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council where Jim Kempton, a former state legislator, had been serving as one of two Idaho delegates since 2000. Kempton was appointed to serve on the power council by former Gov. Dirk Kempthorne. Later, as a council member, he acted as a natural resource cabinet member for Gov. Otter. Kempton, an Albion native, was a member of the Idaho House of Representatives from 1991-2000, where he served on the House Revenue and Taxation Committee and chaired the Transportation and Defense Committee. Earlier, he served for two years on the Environmental Affairs Committee. Kempton earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in physics from the University of Idaho. He was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force and an assistant professor of physics at the United States Air Force Academy. He also worked in the Pentagon as Department of Defense liaison between the Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of Defense on international co-production programs. His Pentagon assignments included Air Force research and development responsibilities in the F-16 fighter program and coordinating Iranian Program Review briefings to the Secretary of the Air Force. He returned to Idaho in 1981 and was engaged in ranching until 1990, when he was elected to the Idaho Legislature. He is a former member of the "Idaho EPSCoR" Board, a National Science Foundation experimental program to stimulate competitive research. He and his wife, Susan, are the parents of two grown daughters. -- PAGE 14 -- Idaho’s Marsha Smith elected president of NARUC Idaho Public Utilities Commissioner Marsha Smith in November was elected president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners at the association’s annual convention in Anaheim. A member of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission since 1991, Smith will provide general oversight and serve as chief executive of the association, which represents the state public service commissioners nationwide who regulate essential utility services such as electricity, telecommunications, gas, water and transportation. She will serve as the primary voice of the association, leading NARUC chiefly before Congress and the administration. In remarks before the annual convention’s 1,000-plus registrants, Smith said it is imperative that the association be a leader in finding energy efficiencies. “Innovation, efficiency and leadership are the keys that will lead us to the actions necessary for our society to continue to prosper,” Smith said. “Now is the time for creative thinking about our challenges,” she said. “I challenge each of you to find ways to innovate, ways to be more efficient and to step forward and lead.” The association also elected Commissioner Fred Butler of New Jersey as first vice president and Commissioner David Coen of Vermont as second vice president. All three will serve one-year terms. Smith will preside over the association’s winter meeting in February 2008 in Washington, D.C., summer meeting in July 2008 in Portland and next year’s annual convention in New Orleans in November. Smith is also the co-chair of the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency, serving along with Jim Rogers, president of North Carolina-based Duke Energy. The action plan is a nationwide effort by state regulators, utilities and private entities to enhance energy security and protect the environment by encouraging energy efficiency measures. The aim is to secure commitments from public and private entities in every state to reduce energy consumption. That has largely been achieved and now efforts are geared toward accomplishing those objectives. Smith was appointed to the Idaho commission by Gov. Cecil Andrus in 1991. -- PAGE 15 --