20180220notice_of_investigation_order_no_33988.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
February 20,2018
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE INVESTIGATION )CASE NO.ATL-E-18-01
OF ATLANTA POWER COMPANY )
SERVICE AND CUSTOMER RELATIONS )NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION
)ORDER NO.33988
In the spring of 2017,Commission Staff received a number of complaints from
residents of Atlanta,Idaho,outlining concerns related to electric service being provided by
Atlanta Power Company.The customers stated that the Company's hydroelectric turbine was no
longer working and the Company was using a diesel generator to provide electric service.It was
reported that the generator was regularly running out of fuel and electric service outages were
occurring frequently for significant periods of time.Staff received several complaints
throughout 2017 about inadequate service and outages,and the inability of customers to contact
anyone from the Company.On January 2,2018,Atlanta Power customer Mary Drake filed a
Formal Complaint against Atlanta Power Company claiming the Company is violating
Commission Order No.31086 and Idaho Code §61-302 by failing to maintain adequate service.
On January 22,2018,Staff requested that the Commission direct the Company to
respond to the Formal Complaint of Mary Drake,and to open a formal investigation into the
Company.Staff recommended that the investigation focus on service reliability,maintenance
and operation of the Company's facilities,and customer service.As part of its investigation,
Staff will review the Company's compliance with past orders,inspect generation and distribution
facilities,and confer with customers.
The Commission approved Staff's recommendation that a summons be issued regarding
the Formal Complaint of Mary Drake,and also ordered that Staff conduct an investigation under
the same docket.The Commission directed Staff to work with the Company and its customers to
investigate reliability and customer service issues,identify possible solutions and provide a
report detailing Staff's findings within six months.
Accordingly,we direct Atlanta Power to address the Formal Customer Complaint of
Mary Drake,to make itself available to Staff for any audit and/or inspection,and respond to any
and all questions posed by Staff.Responses should be by formal written answer in this case.
ORDER NO.33988 1
Once Staff completes its investigation,or at the appropriate time,it shall report its findings and
make recommendations to the Commission.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Commission Staff shall conduct an investigation
into the service reliability,maintenance and operations,and customer relations of Atlanta Power
Company.Staff shall provide a report and recommendations to the Commission for further
action no later than July 31,2018.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Company respond to the Formal Complaint of
Mary Drake,as directed in the summons issued by the Commission.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Atlanta Power Company respond to any inquiries.
Commission Staff is directed to issue production requests,written interrogatories or other forms
of discovery as well as pursue its statutory right to examine and audit the records.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise,Idaho this
day of February 2018.
PAUL KJELLANDER,PRESIDENT
KR INE RAPER,C MMISSIONER
ERIC ANDERSON,COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:
Diane M.Hanian
Commission Secretary
I:\Legal\LORDERS\ATLEIB01_bkynvestigationOrder doc
ORDER NO.33988 2