20180601Comment.pdf

Lorah Sue Skerrett
1415 Crestline Drive
Coeur d'Alene,ID 83814
5\29\18
Idaho Utilities Commission
P.O.Box 80720
Boise,ID 83720-0074
ATTENTION:DIANE HOLT
Dear MS.Holt:
Please do not approve the sale of Avista to Hydro Onel
I oppose this sale:
I do not want Avista affected I controlled by a company headquartered in a
foreign country -Canada -or anywhere.
Canada is a member of the Paris Climate Accord,which can result in Canadian
companies having to shoulder oppressive financial burdens.
Canada's Power Producing Industery may be headed for a crisis.I do not want
Avista to be affected by that!
The Hydro One promise of no change in Avista's rates for two years looks to be a
pro acquisition come-on to get Avista customers on the hook -then what?This
promise rings pretty hollow in view of the history of rate increases that Hydro
One customers have experienced in the last two years (6,100%)!
How can the expense of Avista Board Members each getting a bonus of $10 -$15
million dollars,if the sale is successfully completed -be good for Avista
customers!?!?No way!!
No!This is not a good deal for Avista's customers!Please do not approve the
sale of Avista to Hydro One!
Thankyou,
Lorah Sue Skerrett
2)Avista's customers enjoy the lowest
energy costs in North America while Hy-
droOne customers pay the highest rates.
(Recent rate décreases ocurredonly after O
rates increased Inpercent in lo yearst)(3)Hydroone must adhere to ontario's i
Green Energy Act requiringa carbon tax.A$50/tontax on a 3-car familymeans $1,987tax/year.Australia instituteda carboniax
in 2012 but ended it two years later due to 00
severe unemployment and economic
downturns.
4)Our most precious naturalresource
and hydroelectric dams will be subject to
Canadian laws,not American.
5)HydroOne expands use of wind and
solar power,which is often unpredictable
Avista sale is bad news and much less efficientthan Avista's cur-
rent sources.TheEPA foundwindturbinesAvistamaysellouttoHydroOneinOn-killed so many birds (endangered nas,
tario.Save your shekels,you will need too)that they stópped keeping traok ofthe
them.What are the pros vs.const destruction of this marvelous wildlife.
Pros:1)Stockholders receive a hand-Write WUTC ([e-mail])
some profit.and tell them not to sell out.Let's keegour
Cons:1)Foreign ownershipprovidesze-energy costs low.
ro motivationto invest its profits back into Alene Lindstra d
Avista's four-state local region.spokane
What wouldbe the impact of foreignownershipon Avis-ta -and its customers -if its sale to Canadian utilityHydroOneisapproved?What influencewill the provinceof Ontario,a HydroOnestakeholder,have on a business and ratepayers inWashington?
Members of the state's Utilities and TransportationCommissionwantedanswerstothosequestionsandothersWEDMESDAY,May23,2018 Tuesday kom One CEO Mayo Schmidt,during a
BDA S&P 500 10-YRT-NOTE S YR T-80NU âgL CRUDE OIL A GULu i EURO8.46 -15.58 2,724.44 4.57 3.06%..3.21%+.01 $72.09 -.15 $1,29170 +150 W $1W9 +.0007
s o 0ne
UTC seeks answers on impact of foreign ownership,intheeu in mÃmOne"mtobeadorinfluenceofOntarionoliticsonAvista's future election issue,"said UTC Chairman DavidDan-r ner,who wondered how "the potentíal vola-tility"wouldaffectAvista ratepayers if the saleByBeckyKramerity.
...goes through.THE SPOIGESIMN-REvmw "Mr.Schmidt,Pd like you to address this is-Both Schmidt and Avista CEO Scott Morris,sue ofconcern about foreign ownership and the who were at the hearing,sought to asbure regu-Some Avista customers said they didn'twant role ofthe province in havingsignificant control lators thatAvista'sratepayers wouldn'tbe af Tec-their local utilitysold to a Canadian company ofthecompany,"UTCCommissioner Ann Ren-ted by Ontario politics -now or in the future.with government ownership during a,public dahl said duringa the hearing,whichwas lives-"The provinceis a shareholder,not a man-hearing last month in spokane Valley.treamed."Especiallywith the potential change agerofthebusiness,"schmidtsaid.Todate,"theQuestionsaboutforeignownerslupandpol-in the political landscape."provincehas been exemplary in not involvingiticalinfluencewereairedagáikTuesdaydur-everal Canadian political parties are vying themselves in the business ofthe organization."ing a regulatory hearing in Olympia.for control in the province's June legislative After the purchase of Av the province'sIfAvista's$5.3billion sale toHydrooneLtd.,elections.The LiberalParty,whichis currently ownership stake in HydroOne woulddropto42ofToronto,goesthroughlaterthisyear,thespo-in the majority,supported the privatizationof perceilt,he said.Even if Hydroone's board ofkane-based utilitywould become asubsidiary of HydroOne,whichwas once completelyowned directors was replaced in the future,theprocessacompanywhoselargestshareholderisthebytheprovince.requiresthatindependentboardmembers-notprovinceofOntario,with a 45 percentstake.Anotherpolitical party wants to fire Hydrà politicians -be chosen to run the company,Members of the Washington Utilities and one's board of directors,saying that executive Schmidt said.Transportation Commission grilledHydroone pay is too high.And yet another party says it If the government o o wanted to re-CEO Mayo Schmidt about an upcoming elec-wants to return HydroOne to AdownershipbytioninOntarioandpotentialimpactsontheutil-the province,whichstarted Wing off its staket See REGULAT Sy t!
ULA TORS Funds wouldna he com-om enormwest.es expect to benefitgledforsettingcustomers'"Theseprotections...keep from sharing best manage-Continued from10 rates.State regulators the ship of Avista sailing ment practices and savingswouldreviewthosefinan-smoothly regardless of what frombuying equipment andgainfullownershipofHydmcialauditsbeforeactingonhappensinOntario,"said supplies in large quantities,One in the future,it would be new rate requests from Scaflett,the Hydro one at-Morrisand Schmidt said."a corkplicated deal,"requir-Avista,he said.torney.For Avista's sale to gomgthecash-strapped prov-After the sale,Avista's Hydro one's customers through,the three-membermeetobuyouttheothernewboardofdirectors"share the same concerns UTC must determine that itshareholders,HydroOne at-would retain strong North-that you have here,"Schmidt would benefit the utility'storneylamesScarlettsaid.west ties,Morris said.The said.They don't want to customers.A decision is ex-Protections for Avista's nine-memberboard would shoulderanycostsfromAvis-pectedbymid-August.customers are outlined in have fourAvistarepresenta-ta,he said.sales agreements,Morris tives,two Hydko One rep-Although Avista and Hy-CONTACTTHEWRITER:said.Avista and Hydro One resentatives and three inde-dro One would operate sep-[phone]wouldkeepseparatebooks.pendent members chosen arately after the sale,the [e-mail]
te
c
t
Av
i
s
t
a
ra
t
e
p
a
y
¢
r
s
in
th
e
pr
o
v
e
th
e
sa
l
a
,
wh
i
c
h
co
u
l
d
Hy
d
r
e
On
e
'
s
hi
g
h
el
e
c
t
r
i
c
a
l
sa
l
e
.
Th
e
st
a
t
e
'
s
Pu
b
l
i
c
Ut
i
l
eë
é
n
t
t
h
a
t
B
y
d
r
o
o
n
e
w
o
u
l
d
clo
s
e
la
t
e
r
th
i
s
yë
a
r
.
Pu
b
l
i
c
ra
t
e
s
,
ha
s
.
b
e
c
o
m
e
fo
d
d
e
t
.
i
n
it
i
e
s
Co
m
m
i
s
s
i
o
n
wi
l
l
ho
l
d
.
Có
n
t
i
n
u
e
d
f
r
o
m
1
fi
l
e
f
o
r
b
a
n
k
r
u
p
t
e
g
i
n
t
h
e
f
u
-
ut
i
l
i
t
y
c
o
m
m
i
s
s
i
o
n
s
i
n
o
t
h
ë
r
an
up
c
o
m
i
n
g
pr
o
v
i
n
c
i
a
l
th
r
e
e
pu
b
l
i
c
he
a
r
i
n
g
s
at
6
to
r
e
or
ru
n
in
t
o
ot
h
e
r
fi
n
a
n
-
st
a
t
e
s
w
h
d
r
e
A
v
i
s
t
a
o
p
e
r
a
n
a
s
el
e
c
t
i
o
n
.
p.
m
.
o
n
th
e
s
e
di
t
é
s
:
«
Wa
s
h
i
n
g
i
n
n
e
n
s
t
o
m
e
r
s
ci
a
l
p
r
o
b
l
e
m
s
al
s
e
a
r
e
s
c
r
i
e
i
n
k
i
n
Œ
t
h
e
s
a
l
e
.
Av
i
s
t
a
s
a
n
d
H
y
d
r
o
O
n
e
a
l
-
e
Ju
n
e
1
2
in
Mo
s
c
o
w
at
wo
u
l
d
ge
t
$3
1
.
7
mi
n
i
o
n
in
Th
e
ev
i
d
e
n
t
i
n
r
y
he
a
r
i
n
g
s
Th
e
r
e
h
a
i
e
r
e
l
a
t
e
d
d
e
y
è
t
-
so
up
p
e
d
th
g
i
r
co
n
t
r
i
b
u
t
i
o
n
th
e
1
9
1
2
Ce
n
t
e
r
,
41
2
E.
Th
i
r
d
cr
e
d
i
t
s
on
t
h
e
i
r
bi
l
l
s
fo
r
fi
v
e
giv
e
th
e
UT
C
s
th
r
e
e
me
m
-
op
m
e
n
t
s
e
l
s
e
w
l
i
e
r
e
.
to
$4
.
5
mi
l
h
o
n
to
-
t
h
e
'o
m
-
,
.S
t
.
ye
a
r
á
.
Fo
r
a
ty
p
i
c
a
l
el
e
c
t
r
i
c
be
r
s
th
e
ch
a
n
c
e
tä
n
s
k
qu
e
s
-
Ma
y
o
>S
o
l
u
b
i
d
t
,
11
ý
d
r
o
mu
n
i
t
y
of
Co
l
s
t
r
i
p
,
Mo
n
t
a
-
e
Jù
n
e
is
at
sa
n
d
p
o
i
n
t
an
d
na
t
u
r
a
l
ga
s
cu
a
t
o
m
e
r
,
ti
o
n
s
of
A
v
i
s
t
e
Hy
d
e
On
e
On
e
'
s
ch
i
e
f
ex
e
c
u
t
i
v
e
,
ha
s
na
,
wh
e
r
e
Av
i
s
t
a
is
pa
r
t
-
Ri
g
h
s
c
h
o
o
l
,
4
1
0
8
.
D
i
v
i
s
i
o
n
th
e
cr
e
d
i
t
s
wo
u
l
d
be
ab
o
u
t
an
d
ot
h
e
r
st
a
k
e
h
o
l
d
e
r
s
wh
o
be
ë
n
th
e
su
b
j
e
c
t
of
te
en
t
ow
n
e
r
of
a
co
a
l
-
f
i
r
e
d
pl
a
n
t
.
Av
e
.
.
.
$1
:
2
7
pe
r
m
o
n
t
h
.
he
l
p
e
d
er
a
f
t
th
e
se
t
d
e
m
e
n
t
.
ar
t
i
c
l
e
s
in
th
e
cá
n
a
d
i
a
r
i
Th
e
m
o
n
e
y
w
o
u
l
d
b
e
u
s
e
d
t
e
e
Ju
n
e
14
in
co
e
u
r
d'
A
-
e
Th
e
ag
r
e
e
m
e
n
t
al
s
o
Th
e
th
r
e
e
-
m
e
m
b
e
r
co
m
-
në
w
s
me
d
i
a
.
Th
e
j
z
o
v
i
n
c
e
he
l
p
.c
o
l
s
t
r
i
p
'
s
ec
o
n
o
m
y
le
n
e
at
th
e
Mi
d
t
o
w
n
Me
e
t
-
co
n
t
a
i
n
s
"r
i
n
g
fe
n
d
i
n
g
"
pr
o
-
mi
s
s
i
a
n
wi
l
l
ev
a
l
u
a
t
e
of
On
t
a
r
i
o
ow
n
s
a4
7
pe
r
c
e
n
t
tr
a
n
s
i
t
i
o
n
to
ot
h
e
r
bu
s
i
n
e
s
s
in
g
ce
n
t
e
r
,
1
8
0
5
N.
Fi
f
t
h
St
.
vi
s
i
o
n
s
,
de
s
i
g
n
e
d
to
ke
e
p
.
wh
e
t
h
e
r
Av
i
s
t
a
'
s
ra
t
e
p
a
y
e
r
s
st
a
k
e
in
th
e
ut
i
l
i
t
y
,
an
d
ve
n
t
u
r
e
s
.
Av
i
s
t
a
'
s
l
i
n
a
n
c
e
s
as
s
e
p
a
r
a
t
e
wo
u
l
d
be
n
e
f
i
t
fr
o
r
n
th
e
sa
l
e
.
Sc
h
m
i
d
t
'
s
ex
e
c
u
t
i
v
e
co
m
-
In
Id
a
h
o
,
mo
r
e
th
a
n
20
0
co
m
r
A
c
t
TH
E
WR
I
T
E
R
:
as
po
s
s
i
b
l
e
ff
o
m
Hy
d
r
o
By
mi
d
-
A
u
g
u
s
t
,
th
e
UT
C
.
pe
n
s
a
t
i
o
g
o
f
$
4
2
m
i
l
l
i
o
n
C
a
-
Av
i
s
t
a
cu
s
t
o
m
e
r
s
ha
v
e
se
n
t
(5
0
9
)
4
5
9
-
5
4
6
6
On
e
'
s
.
Th
e
pr
o
v
i
s
i
o
n
s
pr
o
-
wi
l
l
de
c
i
d
e
wh
e
t
h
e
r
to
ap
-
na
d
i
a
n
la
s
t
ye
a
r
al
o
n
g
wi
t
h
in
wr
i
t
t
e
n
co
m
m
e
n
t
s
on
th
e
be
c
k
y
k
@
s
p
o
k
e
s
m
a
n
.
c
o
m