modproc.app.doc

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

in the matter of THE APPLICATION OF AVISTA CORPORATION DBA AVISTA UTILITIES FOR APPROVAL OF ELECTRIC TARIFF SCHEDULE 95—OPTIONAL WIND POWER RATE. )
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
CASE NO. AVU-E-01-16

NOTICE OF APPLICATION

NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE

NOTICE OF COMMENT/PROTEST DEADLINE

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that on December 3, 2001, Avista Corporation dba Avista Utilities (Avista; Company) filed an Application with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (Commission) for approval of an Optional Wind Power Rate under proposed Tariff Schedule 95.
Avista’s wind power option is priced in increments, or “blocks”, of $1.00. Each $1.00 block of wind purchased by customers equals 55 kilowatt hours (kWh). Under this “buck-a-block” pricing, customers may consider one of two purchase approaches. Some customers may elect to purchase wind power in one or two dollar monthly amounts with no linkage to their energy usage. These customers, the Company states, may view this payment as a contribution to support alternative energy production. Alternatively, customers can calculate and buy a selected percentage to serve their average monthly load, e. g., a customer who wishes to have half of his or her 1,100 kWh average monthly load served by wind power would pay an incremental $10 per month (i.e., 10 blocks at 55 kWh per block multiplied by $1.00). The optional wind power charge is in addition to all other charges contained in a customer’s applicable tariff schedule. Avista represents that wind power will be delivered to the Company within one year of when the energy was purchased by a customer under this schedule.
Avista states its intention to have its offering “certified” as renewable energy by the regional entity providing such endorsements, Renew 2000. Such certification would support the Company’s marketing efforts and would aid allied marketing by environmental organizations. Renew 2000’s board of directors, as reported by the Company, has indicated that the utility’s minimum 55 kWh block “was ‘certifiable’ if, on average, participating residential customer usage averaged greater than 150 kWh.”
As reflected in the Company’s Application, Avista Utilities is in the process of contracting with PacifiCorp to purchase output from its Stateline Wind Facility on the Oregon-Washington border. The sales agreement would specifically provide for the delivery of wind power to Avista Utility’s system to support customer purchases under Tariff Schedule 95.
All customer classes are eligible to participate in this program. Because the tariff is optional, the rate change associated with this filing is voluntary. The Company estimates that approximately $150,267 (system) in incremental revenue will result from this offering. All incremental revenue will be applied to program costs. The Company represents that there are no earnings associated with this program.
The Company requests that the Commission approve the proposed Schedule 95 Optional Wind Power Rate for an effective date of February 1, 2002.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission has preliminarily found that the public interest in this matter may not require a hearing to consider the issues presented and that the issues raised by the Company’s filing may be processed under Modified Procedure, i.e., by written submission rather than by hearing. Reference Commission Rules of Procedure, IDAPA 31.01.01.201-204.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the deadline for filing written comments or protests with respect to Avista’s Application and the use of Modified Procedure in Case No. AVU-E-01-16 is Wednesday, January 23, 2002. Persons desiring a hearing must specifically request a hearing in their written protests or comments.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that if no written comments or protests are received within the deadline, the Commission may consider the matter on its merits and may enter its Order without a formal hearing. If comments or protests are filed within the deadline, the Commission will consider them and in its discretion may set the matter for hearing or may decide the matter and issue its Order on the basis of the written positions before it. Reference IDAPA 31.01.01.204.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that written comments concerning Case No. AVU-E-01-16 should be mailed to the Commission and the Company at the addresses reflected below.
COMMISSION SECRETARY
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PO BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0074

Street Address for Express Mail:

472 W WASHINGTON ST
BOISE, ID 83702-5983 KELLY NORWOOD
VICE PRESIDENT
AVISTA CORPORATION
EAST 1411 MISSION AVE.
PO BOX 3727
SPOKANE, WA 99220

And

DAVID MEYER, ESQ.
SENIOR VP AND GENERAL COUNSEL
AVISTA CORPORATION
PO BOX 3727
SPOKANE, WA 99220
All comments should contain the case caption and case number shown on the first page of this document.
Persons desiring to submit comments via e-mail may do so by accessing the Commission’s homepage located at www.puc.state.id.us under the “Comments and Questions” icon. Once at the “Comments or Questions” icon, fill in the case number as it appears on the front of this document, and enter your comments.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company’s Application in Case No. AVU-E-01-16 may be viewed at www.puc.state.id.us by clicking on "File Room" and "Electronic Cases," or it can be viewed during regular business hours at the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, 472 West Washington Street, Boise, Idaho and at the Idaho offices of Avista Utilities.
DATED at Boise, Idaho this day of December 2001.

Jean D. Jewell
Commission Secretary

vld/N:AVU-E-01-16 _sw

NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
NOTICE OF COMMENT/PROTEST DEADLINE 1

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
December 18, 2001