20171003Decision Memo.pdf

DECISION MEMORANDUM
TO:COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
COMMISSIONER RAPER
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON
COMMISSION SECRETARY
COMMISSION STAFF
FROM:DAPHNE HUANG
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
DATE: SEPTEMBER 29,2017
SUBJECT ICLOS REQUEST FOR HEARING IN AVISTA'S 2OI7 ELECTRIC
TNTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN (IRP), CASE NO. AVU-E-17-08
On August 31,2017. Avista Corporation dba Avista Utilities filed its 2017 electric
Integrated Resource Plan (lRP). The IRP outlines and analyzes the Company's strategy for
meeting its customers' projected energy needs over the next 20 years. The Company files an
IRP every two years, and uses it to guide resource acquisitions. At its September 20, 2017
decision meeting. the Commission approved Staff s recommendation to issue a Notice of Filing
and Notice of Modified Procedure, setting a deadline of December 18, 2017 for interested
persons to provide written comments to the Commission about the Company's filing.r On
September 25,2017,ldaho Conservation League (ICL) filed a request for public hearing in the
case.
ICL'S REQUEST FOR PUBLIC HEARING
ICL asks the Commission to "facilitate a public hearing in Sandpoint" regarding Avista's
2017 IRP. Request at 2. ICL asserts that Avista's IRP will have a significant impact on
customers in Bonner County, but "circumstances in this part of the state can make it difficult for
residents to share their interest and concern with the PUC." Id. ICL further notes, o'some electric
customers feel more comfortable and more confident expressing their concerns orally rather than
in writing." 1d In addition, ICL believes "a public hearing is necessary because of the public's
concern regarding disparities between Avista's financial outlook of its investments in the
Colstrip coal plant . . . and the corresponding outlooks of other regional utilities which also
invest in this facility." Id.
I The Commission's Notice of Filing, Notice of Modified Procedure. and Order is pending.
DECISION MEMORANDUM I
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff notes that prior Commission orders require the Company to include certain subjects
in its biennial lRPs. See Order Nos. 22299, 25260. However, where the IRP discusses the
required subjects, the Commission enters an order acknowledging that the Company filed the
IRP, thus acknowledging the Company's ongoing planning process but not the conclusions or
results reached through that process.
Under Commission Rules, the Commission may preliminarily find that a hearing is not
required to consider the issues presented, and thus order that the matter "be processed under
modified procedure, i.e., by written submissions ratherthan by hearing." IDAPA 31.01.01.201.
The Commission made this finding here. However, such finding does not preclude a request for
hearing, as ICL has filed, which must be made in writing by the deadline fbr comments. IDAPA
31.01.01.203 ("Persons desiring a hearing must specifically request a hearing in their written
protests or comments."). A customer hearing "is a public hearing for customers, public officials,
and other persons not related to parties in the case to provide testimony." IDAPA
31.01.01 .241.04(b). "Unless otherwise ordered by the presiding officer, parties are prohibited
form presenting evidence at the customer hearing." Id.
Staff takes no position on ICL's request for a hearing.
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to grant ICL's request and set a public customer hearing in
Sandpoint, Idaho, for customers to comment on the Company's IRP?
Ard^r?-qt--'u.
Dafbie Huang
Deputy Attorney Gr";#
l:\Legal\LMEMOS\AVUE I 70S_djh2_Dec Mern Hrg Req.doc
2DECISION MEMORANDUM