HomeMy WebLinkAbout20220222Comments(2)_2.pdfMary E. Drake
72 E. Pine St.
Atlanta, Idaho 83716
(208) 864-2171
Email: flute.md@gmail.com
February 19, 2022
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
472 W. Washington
Boise, Idaho 83702
Re: Case# ALT-E-22-01
Dear Commissioners,
Please consider this letter a response to a call for comments for Case #: ALT-E-22-01, Order
35302.
On January 2, 2018 I filed a formal complaint with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission
regarding customer service issues with Atlanta Power Company. The complaint was assigned
case #: ALT-E-18-01. After many orders and notices, a Final Order (34420) was issued on
August 16, 2019 and this case was closed. The Final Order concluded:
"We find that a willing sale of the Company's assets to an entity that will be responsive to
customers, personnel, and the public is the top priority. Such a sale would address the
problems that gave rise to the Complaint, and would provide a durable solution to the
problems that have long beset Atlanta Power. If the sale does not go through, we have
numerous tools at our disposal to ensure that Atlanta Power fulfills all of its duties as a
regulated public utility. Those duties include but are not limited to: providing safe and
reliable service, complying with the National Electric Safety Code, responding to
customer complaints in an adequate and timely manner, filing annual reports (both past
due and on an ongoing basis), providing non-discriminatory service throughout its service
area, and complying with audit and production requests from Commission Staff. We
intend to closely monitor Atlanta Power, as long as it remains a regulated public utility,
to guarantee that the Company meets its obligations to its customers."
Last year, on July 2, 2021, after almost 2 years since the Final Order was issued on the Formal
Complaint submitted previously, I re-submitted the Formal Complaint (assigned case #
ALT-E-22-01) because the sale did not occur to the Co-Op, and there were still issues being
experienced in Atlanta regarding the Atlanta Power Company. Now, there is a show cause
hearing scheduled for Feb. 23, 2022, wherein Atlanta Power Company has been ordered to
appear and "show cause why the Commission should not (1) reimpose penalties on the company
resulting from a previous case, (2) impose new penalties on the company for new and continuing
violations and (3) open a new investigation into whether the company is providing safe and
adequate service to its customers."
RECEIVED
Tuesday, February 22, 2022 10:20:38 AM
IDAHO PUBLIC
UTILITIES COMMISSION
In a News Release dated February 7, 2022 the Idaho Public Utilities Commission announced that
written comments are being accepted regarding this hearing. Therefore, I wish to respectfully
submit the following comments:
1. Several of the issues in the initial Formal Complaint I filed have been resolved. For
instance, there is currently someone in town who is available to assist during power outages.
This is Gene Haught. As stated in the "Cross-Petition for Reconsideration" letter submitted on
April 30, 2019... "We do have Gene Haught, for which we are eternally grateful. Gene freely
volunteers his time... and when the power goes out he goes down there and many times
‘second-guesses’ what is wrong and manages to fix it so far. We are very lucky. One time we
were very, very lucky when we had 3 electrical engineers camping out in town, they volunteered
to show Gene a few tricks. Some of that equipment is very dangerous and not safe, so it is also a
risk and one has to really know what they are doing, or physical harm could occur."
Since this time (2019), Gene has become an employee of Atlanta Power Company and has
continued to step-up for the town of Atlanta, all the while self-educating himself on how the
system works. Gene has truly been an asset to the town of Atlanta when it comes to the Power.
Ways I have experienced or witnessed excellent customer service from Gene as he has
represented Atlanta Power Company:
*Gene has recruited assistants here, in Atlanta, to help with the power. One of them is Nick
Jones who is a Training Specialist at Northwestern Lineman College in Meridian, Idaho. Nick
is an experienced lineman. As an instructor, he has had his students up here, in Atlanta, laying
out where to re-locate more efficient power lines. Gene and Nick, with the approval of Israel,
would like to do this project this year. According to Gene, the needed transformers are actually
on order, however have been delayed.
*Earlier this year, a line came down. It was fixed that same day, immediately. Nick drove to
Atlanta from Boise to help and it was fixed that evening.
*Another time, a tree came down and knocked down the power lines on Pine St.. Gene
responded that night and got the lines off the road. The next day, Nick came up from Boise and
restored the power, except to my house, due to the whole service box was ripped off the side of
my house when the tree fell. After I repaired the service box to my house that week, Nick
returned on the weekend and helped Gene re-connect me to the power. This was very, very
good service I received from Atlanta Power Company, as represented by Gene and Nick.
*The generator has not been working properly. I have been asking for someone to come up and
look at it to get it fixed. Gene said he couldn't get anyone to come up to fix it. So he and Jim
Frazier (an Atlanta resident) tinkered with it and it worked a little better. Then, finally, the
generator broke completely. Israel Ray (Atlanta Power Company Owner) then paid CAT to
come up and fix the generator. It is now fixed.
*Most recently, due to freezing temperatures, the power goes out in the middle of the night
because the turbine does not get enough water to operate. So, in the middle of night, either
Gene or Jim Frazier will get up and go turn the diesel generator on so there is power until the
issue can be resolved the next day and the Hydro comes back on. When told they don't need to
do this, the response is: "We have people who need the power for their heat, or for water!
This keeps them safe!" This is excellent customer service.
2. The initial Formal Complaint I filed was to present the Idaho Public Utilities Commission
with problems needing attention in relation to continuous/ongoing Power Outages as a result of
The Atlanta Power Company neglecting to comply with Idaho Statute 61-301, "Maintenance of
Adequate Service". However, on May 15, 2019, and again on September 3, 2021, the Atlanta
Electrical Consumer Cooperative, Inc. (AECC) filed a petition to intervene on this case with the
purpose of purchasing the Atlanta Power Company. Unfortunately, in recent weeks, I was
shocked to learn that a member of the AECC willfully acted with a wrong intention by asking
Nick Jones to stop helping Gene with any Atlanta Power problems. This action caused harm to
the town of Atlanta and demonstrated that this AECC member did not value the safety of Atlanta
residents.
I need to comment that since the sale to the AECC failed to occur, and since the date I re-instated
the initial formal complaint (July 2, 2021), things really started happening with Israel Ray. It is
evident that Israel Ray has taken actions to serve the needs of the Atlanta Power Company
customers. There is now someone to call when the power goes out in Atlanta, Idaho. That
number is Gene Haught. Gene seems to have a direct communication with Israel Ray and when
there is need for an expenditure to fix a problem, Israel has proven to be available with the funds
needed. It appears Israel Ray has gone to great lengths in keeping the town of Atlanta
powered-up and safe.
3. There still exists the concern about fixing the underlying problems with the Atlanta Power
Plant equipment... it is a fact that it is perhaps outdated and in dire need of upgrading and more
precise maintenance. Until these foundational problems are corrected, it is inevitable that the
power will continue to have periodic outages in our town of Atlanta, Idaho...
In addition, it would behoove the Atlanta Power Company to have additional human resources
other than ONE employee (albeit, as stated previously, Gene Haught is greatly appreciated) who
is available to assist when problems occur. For, this begs to question what will happen should
Gene become incapacitated, move, or suddenly become unavailable. Just as the town depended
on Dave Gill at one point, when he moved, all access to anyone available to fix the power
disappeared in an instant. This is not a good situation to be in. This is something to consider.
All in all, I would simply like to state that I appreciate the efforts made by Israel Ray in recent
months to address the issues in the formal complaint I filed. I am optimistic that the town of
Atlanta is becoming more secure in its access to vital Power from the Atlanta Power Company.
Especially, I wish to express a "Thank You" to Gene Haught, Nick Jones, and Jim Frazier for all
of their work in keeping this town alive and well.
Sincerely,
Mary E. Drake
Mary E. Drake
From:PUCWeb Notification
To:Jan Noriyuki
Subject:Notice: A comment was submitted to PUCWeb
Date:Monday, February 21, 2022 2:00:07 PM
The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Allen Lake
Submission Time: Feb 21 2022 1:34PMEmail: allenrlake@rtci.net
Telephone: 208-864-2151Address: 80 E. Alturas Rd.
Atlanta, ID 83716-5022
Name of Utility Company: Atlanta Power
Case ID: ATL-E-21-01
Comment: "I have seen steady improvement in the electrical system in Atlanta since Gene Haught and Nick Jones have worked together to address the necessary maintenance of the
power grid. I have always supported the continued private ownership of Atlanta Power rather than ownership through a community co-op. I support the efforts of Haught/Jones to purchase
Atlanta Power."
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