20110826Motion for Stipulation.pdf

or:t'CI1\ ,.\,.11-n',~
David 1 Meyer, Esq.
Vice President and Chief Counsel of
Regulatory and Governmental Affairs
A vista Corporation
1411 E. Mission Avenue
P.O. Box 3727
Spokane, Washington 99220
Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
201 ¡ IWG 25 PM 3: tt2
Donald L. Howell, n
Kristine Sasser
Deputy Attorneys General
Idaho Public Utilties Commission Staff
P,O. Box 83720
Boise, m 83720-0074
Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF TIlE APPLICATION )
OF A VISTA CORPOIV\TION DBA )
AVISTA UTILITIES FOR AUTHORITY TO )
INCREASE ITS RATES AND CHARGES )
FOR ELECTRIC AND NATURAL GAS )SERVICE IN IDAHO )
CASE NOS. AVU-E-II-Ol
AVV-G-II-01
MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF
STIPULATION AND SETTLEMENT
COMES NOW, Avista Corporation ("Avista" or "Company") and the
Commission Stafl, and hereby move the Commission for an Order accepting the settlement
Stipulation 'fied herewith. RP 56; 272; 274. This Motion is based on the following:
1. On July 5, 2011, Avista fied an Application with the Commission for authority
to increase revenue from electric and natural gus service in Idaho by 3.7% and 2.7%,
respectively. If approved, the Company's revenues for electric base retail rates would have
increased by $9.0 millon annually; Company revenues tor natual gas service would have
Motion for Approval of Stipulation - A VU-E/G-II-01 Page 1
increased by $1.9 millon annualy. The Company requested an effective date of August 5,
201 1 fhr its proposed electric and natural gas rute increases. By Order No. 32292, dated July
14, 2011, the Commission suspended the proposed schedules of rates and charges for electrc
and natural gas service tor a period of thirty (30) duys plus five (5) months, from August 5,
20 II, until such time as the Commission enters an Order accepting, rejecting or modifYing the
Application in ths matter.
2. Petitions to intervene in this proceeding were fied by Clearater, Idaho Forest,
CAPAI and the Idaho Conservation League. By various orders, the Commission granted these
interventions. See, IPUC Orer Nos. 32296 and 32317.
3. A settlement conference was noticed and held in the Commission officeson
August 17, 2011, and was attended by signatories to this Stipulation; further discussions
ensued.
4. Based on settlement discussions, the Paries whose signatures appear on the
Stipulation have agreed to resolve and settle all of the issues in the case. A copy of the signed
Stipulation evidencing that settlement is enclosed as Attahment 1.
5. The Parties recommend that the Commission grant this Motion and approve the
Stipulation in its entirety, without material change or condition, pursuant to RP 274.
6. The Purties respectfully request that the Commission consider the Motion, the
Stipulation, and the pre-fied testimony in support of the Stipulation at the time of the technical
evidentiary hearings to be scheduled in this docket. The Paries request that any such hearings
be scheduled so as to aUow the implementation of new rates, as per the Stipulation, on October
1, 2011. The testimony in support of the Stipulation wil be fied on or befhre September 9,
2011.
Motion for Approval of Stipulation - A VU-E/G- i i -01 Page 2
7. As noted in the Stipulation, aU of the Paries agree that the Stipulution is in the
public interest and that all of its ters and conditions are ülir, just and reasonuble.
8. In order to synchronize the effective date of the proposed Settlement rates with
other rates changes also proposed to be effective on October I, 20 11 (e.g., PCA Decrease
(Schedule 66); DSIT Increase (Schedule 99-Electric); Residential Exchange Decreuse
(Schedule 59); PGA Increa..,e (Schedules 1501155); DSM Decreas (Schedule 191), DSIT
Increase (Schedule i 99-Gas)), the proposed Settlement would also become effective on
October I, 2011. By avoiding multi pIe adjustments to rates occurring at different times, the
paries Wish to minimize customer confusion. The Settement, at Section 6, expluinsthe net
effect of all the proposed electric and natura gas rate changes proposed to occur on October 1,
2011, representing a net overall reduction in electric revenues of $6.2 millon and a net overall
reduction in gas revenues of $0.525 milion. This is after taking into account the agreed-upon
rate case settlement rates which call for an overall increase of $2.8 milion for electric service
(1.1 %) and an Increa.o;c of $ 1 .1 milion for nut ural gas service (1.6%).
NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties respectfully request that the Commission issue orders
in Case Nos. AVlJ-E-ll-OI and AVU-G-ll-Ol:
1. Granting this Motion and accepting the Stipulation (Attachment 1), in its
entirety, without material change or condition; and
2. Authorizing the Company to implement revised taiff schedules designed to
recover the additional annual electrc and natural gas revenue from Idaho customers consistent
With the terms of the Stipulation; and
3, Authorizing that revised tariff schedules be made effective October 1, 20 i i .
Motion for Approval of Stipulation - AVU-E/G-II-O 1 Page 3
08/26/2011 08: 03 2083344045 1 PU
v-Restflly submitted this if9 day of August 2011.
D/I
David J. Meyer
Attorney for .A vista Corprationl(~Donald L. Howell, n
Weldon Stutzan
Deputy Attorneys OeneraJ
Idao Public UtiltIes Commisson Staff
Motion for Approval of Stipu.lation - A VU.FjO. I i.. 1
PAG 62/02
Page 4
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I HEREBY CERTIFY that I have this 26th day of August, 2011, served the Motion for
Approval of Stipulation and Settlement in Case Nos. AVU-E.11.01 and AVU-G-11-01,
upon the following parties, by mailng a copy thereof, properly addressed with postage
prepaid to:
Jean D Jewell, Secretary
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
Statehouse
Boise, ID 83720-5983
Jean.jeweii~puc.idaho.gov
Brad M. Purdy
Attorney at Law
2019 N 17tl Street
Boise, ID 83720
bmpurdy~hotmail.com
Donald Howell
Deputy Attorneys General
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
472 W. Washington
Boise, ID 83702-0659
kristine.sasser~puc. idaho.gov
donald. howell~puc.idaho.gov
Peter J. Richardson
Greg M. Adams
Richardson & O'Leary PLLC
515 N. 27th Street
PO Box 7218
Boise, ID 83702
peter~richardsonandoleary.com
greg~r¡chardsondoleary. com
Marv Lewallen
Clearwater Paper
601 W. Riverside Avenue
Suite 1100
Spokane. WA 99201
rnarv.lewallen~ciearwaterpaper. com
Dean J. Miler
McDevitt & Miller, LLP
420 W. Bannock St.
PO Box 2564-83701
Boise, ID 83701-2564
ioe~mcdevitt-miller,com
Scott Atkison
Idaho Forest Products
171 Highway 95 N.
Grangevile, 10 83530
scotta~idahoforestgroup.com
Dr. Don Reading
6070 Hil Road
Boise, ID 73703
dreadíng~mindspring.com
Patnck Ehrbar
Manager, Rates and Tariffs