20140530Application.pdf

l
Avista Corp.
141 1 East Mission P.O. Box3727
Spokane. Washington 99220-0500
Telephone [phone]
TollFree 800-727-9170
May 29,2014
frwsrt
Corp,RECe rVI n
20lq HAY 30 Pl{ 12: 20
IOAHU !'U;L;*
UTILITIES COMMI$SIOi.;
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
472W. Washington St.
Boise, ID 83702-5e83 A V U- E -14 4{
Attention: Ms. Jean Jewell, Commission Secretary Avu'b - t4-o '
Re: In the Matter of the Application of Avista Corporation to Initiate Discussions with
Interested Parties on an Extension of the Existing Rate Plan.
Dear Ms. Jewell:
Enclosed for filing with the Commission are an original and seven (7) copies of the Application
of Avista Corporation to Initiate Discussions with Interested Parties on an Extension of the
Existing Rate Plan.
Please direct any questions regarding this filing to Patrick Ehrbar at [phone].
Sincerely,
Vice President and Chief Counsel for Regulatory
and Governmental Affairs
Enclosures
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I HEREBY CERTIFY that I have served Avista Corporation's Application to lnitiate
Discussions with lnterested Parties on an Extension of the Existing Rate Plan by mailing a
copy thereof, postage prepaid, and sending via email, to the following:
Jean D Jewell, Secretary
ldaho Public Utilities Commission
Statehouse
Boise, lD 83720-5983
Jean. iewell@puc. idaho. oov
Donald Howell
Deputy Attorneys General
ldaho Public Utilities Commission
472W. Washington
Boise, !D 83702-0659
donald. howell@puc. idaho.qov
Marv Lewallen
Clearwater Paper
601 W. Riverside Avenue
Suite 1100
Spokane, WA 99201
m arv. lewal len@clearwaterpaper. com
Scott Atkison
ldaho Forest Products
171 Highway 95 N.
Grangeville, lD 83530
scotta@idahoforestq roup. com
Ken Miller
Snake River Alliance
P. O. Box 1731
Boise, lD 83702
km i I ler@snakeriveral I ia n ce. oro
Larry A Crowley
The Energy Strategies lnstitute !nc
5549 S. Cliffsedge Ave
Boise, !D 83716
-^. [e-mail]
(r",Nt +p*un", Washinston this 29th day of May 2014.
Patrick Ehrbar
Manager, Rates & Tariffs
Brad M. Purdy
Attorney at Law
2019 N 17th Street
Boise, lD 83720
[e-mail]
Peter J. Richardson
Greg M. Adams
Richardson & O'Leary PLLC
515 N. 27m Street
PO Box 7218
Boise, lD 83702
peter@richardsonandolearv. com
o reo @richardsondolearv. com
Dean J. Miller
McDevitt & Miller, LLP
420W. Bannock St.
PO Box 2564-83701
Boise, lD 83701-2504
i oe@mcdevitt-m i ller. com
Benjamin J. Otto
ldaho Conservation League
710 N.6th St.
Boise, lD 83702
botto@idahoconservation. oro
Christine Zamora
Community Action Partnership
Association of !daho
5400 W. Franklin, Suite G
Boise, lD 83705
[e-mail]
David J. Meyer, Esq.
Vice President and Chief Counsel for
Regulatory and Governmental Affairs
Avista Corporation
1411 E. Mission Avenue
P.O.Box3727
Spokane, Washingto n 99220
Phone: [phone]
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION
OF AVISTA CORPORATION TO INITIATE
DISCUSSIONS WITH INTERESTED
PARTIES ON AN EXTENSION OF THE
EXISTING RATE PLAN.
RICEIV* i':
?0lt ttAY 30 Pll l2: 20
uTrL\?Hso#;tiijsrori
BEFORE THE IDAIIO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
)
)
)
)
)
CASE No. AVU-E-14-2_5
CASE No. AVU-G-L4-O I
APPLICATION OF AVISTA
CORPORATION
Avista Corporation ("Avista" or "Company") hereby files an Application with the
Idatro Public Utilities Commission ("Commission" or "IPUC") respectfully requesting that
the Commission notice this Application and an Intervention deadline to identiff interested
parties that would like to participate with the Company in settlement discussions to extend
the existing rate plan. In support of this Application, Avista states as follows:
l. Avista is a corporation created and organized underthe laws of the State of
Washington with its principal office in Spokane, Washington. Avista is an investor-owned
utility principally engaged in the business of providing electric and natural gas service in the
states of Idaho and Washinglon, as well as natural gas service in the state of Oregon.
2. Communications in reference to this Application should be addressed to:
APPLICATION OF AVISTA CORPORATION - I
David J. Meyer, Esq.
Vice President and Chief Counsel for
Regulatory & Governmental Affairs
Avista Corp.
P. O.Box3727
1411 E. Mission Avenue, MSC 27
Spokane, Washingto n 99220 -37 27
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
Kelly Norwood
Vice President
State and Federal Regulation
Avista Corp.
P. O.Box3727
1411 E. Mission Avenue, MSC 27
Spokane, Washingto n 99220 -37 2l
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
E-mail : [e-mail]
3. On March 24, 2014, in compliance with the minimum sixty day notice
requirement of Rule 122 of the IPUC Rules of Procedure "Notice of Intent to File a General
Rate Case," Avista Corporation provided notice to the Idaho Public Utilities Commission
that the Company intends to file a combined electric and natural gas general rate case on or
after June 2,2014.
4. In Case Nos. AVU-E-12-08 and AVU-G-12-07, the Commission approved a
settlement that provided for a rate plan that set base rates for a period extending through
January 1,2015.
5. Between May 22, 2014 and May 27, 2014, Avista had informal discussions,
individually, with Commission Staff, Clearwater Paper Corporation, Idaho Forest Group,
Community Action Partnership Association of Idaho (CAPAI), Idaho Conservation League,
and the Snake River Alliance, representing all intervenors and interested parties in the
Company's last general rate case (Case No. AVU-E-12-08 and AVU-G-12-07).
6. As a part of those informal discussions, Avista explained a potential proposal
to extend the existing rate plan approved by the Commission in the Company's last general
rate case and avoid the need for Avista to immediately file a general rate case, that would
otherwise take effect at the expiration of the existing rate plan on January 1,2015. All of the
APPLICATION OF AVISTA CORPORATION - 2
parties contacted by Avista expressed a willingness to meet on June 25,2014, for the purpose
of exploring an extension of the existing rate plan.
WHEREFORE, Avista respectfully requests that the Commission open and notice a
docket and set an intervention deadline that would formally notifu interested parties of
Avista's intent to engage in settlement discussions, pursuant to IPUC Rule 273, with the
desire to reach agreement on terms that would allow the Company to avoid filing a general
rate case in20l4 and extend.the existing rate plan for an additional period of time.
rh
DATED thrs 27 day of May 2014.
Avista Corporation
Signature:
Date: 2/'tu1 '2*'' aoly'
Attorney for Avista Corporation
Name: Davi6 J. Meyer
APPLICATION OF AVISTA CORPORATION - 3