20201230Notice_of_Applications_Order_No_34879.pdf

NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 34879 1
Office of the Secretary
Service Date
December 30, 2020
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF AVISTA’S
APPLICATIONS FOR A PRUDENCY
DETERMINATION FOR ITS 2018-2019
ELECTRIC AND GAS ENERGY
EFFICIENCY EXPENDITURES
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CASE NO. AVU-E-20-13
AVU-G-20-08

NOTICE OF APPLICATIONS

NOTICE OF
INTERVENTION DEADLINE

ORDER NO. 34879

On November 25, 2020, Avista Corporation dba Avista Utilities (“Company”) filed
two Applications, each requesting the Commission issue an order finding that the Company’s
electric or gas energy efficiency expenditures from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019
(“2018/2019”) were prudently incurred (referred to collectively as the “Applications”). The
Applications summarize the Company’s energy efficiency activities and their cost effectiveness.
The Applications include the Company’s 2018 and 2019 Annual Conservation Reports and the
2019 Idaho Research and Development Report. The Applications also include the 2018/2019
process and impact evaluation reports of the Company’s electric and gas energy efficiency
programs.
The Company requests that the Applications be processed by Modified Procedure.
At the December 15, 2020 Decision Meeting, Staff recommended the Commission
process the Applications together and establish a 21-day intervention deadline. We find that
processing these cases together is reasonable and will be an efficient use of resources for any
parties wishing to join. If circumstances change and the issues diverge, we can consider bifurcating
the cases at that time. Consequently, we now issue this Notice of Applications and Notice of
Intervention Deadline establishing a 21-day intervention deadline for interested parties.
NOTICE OF APPLICATIONS
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Company requests a prudency determination
for $15,309,862 incurred in 2018/2019 for its electric energy efficiency programs portfolio
(“Electric Programs”). $10,021,973 was paid directly to customers.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 34879 2
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that in 2018/2019, the Company’s Electric
Programs achieved 55,036 megawatt-hours (“MWhs”) of savings.1
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company’s Electric Programs had an
underfunded balance of $9,574,630 on December 31, 2017.2 On December 31, 2019 the
underfunded balance had been reduced to $4,375,287.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company measures the cost effectiveness
of its Electric Programs using the Utility Cost Test (“UCT”), Total Resource Cost (“TRC”),
Participant Cost Test, and Ratepayer Impact Test. The 2018 UCT and TRC ratios for the
Company’s Electric Programs were 2.66 and 2.07, respectively. The 2019 UCT and TRC ratios
for the Company’s Electric Programs were 2.39 and 1.95, respectively.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company exceeded its energy efficiency
targets set in its Integrated Resource Plan (“IRP”) for both 2018 and 2019. In 2018, the Company
achieved 29,805 MWhs of electric savings, 160% of the IRP target. In 2019, the Company
achieved 25,231 MWhs of electric savings, 144% of the IRP target.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that its 2018/2019 third-party process and impact
evaluations concluded the Company’s Idaho Electric Programs cost-effectively saved 55,036
MWhs. The purpose of the evaluations is to accurately summarize the energy savings attributable
to the Company’s Electric Programs (impact) and to identify any improvements needed to increase
effectiveness and efficiency (process).
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company requests a prudency
determination for $2,896,986 incurred in 2018/2019 for its natural gas energy efficiency programs
portfolio (“Gas Programs”). $2,263,689 was paid directly to customers.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that in 2018/2019 the Company’s Gas Programs
achieved 464,718 therms of savings.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Gas Programs had an overfunded balance
of $180,889 on December 31, 2017. On December 31, 2019 the overfunded balance had been
reduced to $78,073.

1 This is exclusive of the 8,817 MWhs of Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance savings.
2 The underfunding was addressed by Order No. 33897 in Case No. AVU-E-17-06, which authorized increasing
schedule 91 rates on October 1, 2017.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 34879 3
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company reports its Gas Programs
achieved a 2.12 UCT ratio in 2018 and 1.50 UCT ratio in 2019—both years exceeding the
Company’s target of a UCT greater than 1.0.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that in 2018, the Company saved 247,756 therms
of gas, 101% of the IRP target. In 2019, the Company saved 216,962 therms of gas, 68% of the
IRP target.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that its 2018/2019 third-party process and impact
evaluations concluded the Company’s Idaho Gas Programs cost effectively saved 464,718 therms
of gas.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company’s Applications and exhibits are
available for public inspection during regular business hours at the Commission’s office. The
Applications are also available on the Commission’s web site at www.puc.idaho.gov. Click on the
“ELECTRIC” or “GAS” tab, select “Open Cases” and then locate and click on the case number as
shown on the front of this document.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all proceedings in this case will be held
pursuant to the Commission’s jurisdiction under Title 61 of the Idaho Code. The Commission may
enter any final order consistent with its authority under Title 61.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all proceedings in this matter will be conducted
under the Commission’s Rules of Procedure, IDAPA 31.01.01.000, et seq.
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that persons desiring to intervene in this matter to
obtain parties’ rights of participation must file a Petition to Intervene with the Commission
pursuant to this Commission's Rules of Procedure 72 and 73, IDAPA 31.01.01.072 and .073.
Persons who wish to intervene as a party must file a Petition to Intervene within 21 days
from the service date of this Order. Persons desiring to present their views without parties' rights
of participation are not required to intervene and may present their comments without prior
notification to the Commission or the parties.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that after the intervention deadline runs, the
Commission Secretary will issue a Notice of Parties. Staff then will informally confer with the
parties about scheduling for this case.

NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 34879 4
O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that persons desiring to intervene for the purpose of
obtaining parties’ rights of participation must file a Petition to Intervene with the Commission,
pursuant to Rules 72 and 73, IDAPA 31.01.01.72-73, within 21 days from the service date of this
Order.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that after the Commission Secretary issues a Notice of
Parties, Staff will informally confer with the parties about an appropriate schedule.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that parties continue to comply with Order No. 34781,
issued September 17, 2020. All pleadings should be filed with the Commission electronically and
shall be deemed timely filed when received by the Commission Secretary. See Rule 14.02. Service
between parties should also be accomplished electronically. Voluminous discovery-related
documents may be filed and served on CD-ROM or a USB flash drive.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 30th
day of December 2020.

PAUL KJELLANDER, PRESIDENT

KRISTINE RAPER, COMMISSIONER

ERIC ANDERSON, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Jan Noriyuki
Commission Secretary

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