20210316Final_Order_No_34963.pdf

ORDER NO. 34963 1

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
March 16, 2021

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

On December 4, 2020, Avista Corporation dba Avista Utilities (“Company”) submitted
a Tariff Advice requesting to modify Electric Service Schedule No. 95—My Clean Energy
Program-Idaho (“Schedule No. 95” or “My Clean Energy Program”). The Company requested an
effective date of February 15, 2021.
At the Commission’s January 26, 2021 decision meeting, the Commission’s Staff
recommended the Commission suspend the proposed effective date and process the Tariff Advice
as a formal case because the Tariff Advice would make programmatic changes that warrant public
comment. After reviewing the Tariff Advice and Staff’s recommendation, the Commission
accepted Staff’s recommendation to process this Tariff Advice as an application (the
“Application”) using Modified Procedure. See Rule 134.02, IDAPA 31.01.01.134.02.
On January 29, 2021, the Commission issued Order No. 34905 suspending the
Company’s proposed effective date. Order No. 34905 also provided Notice of Application and
Notice of Modified Procedure establishing deadlines for public comments and the Company’s
reply. Staff filed comments supporting the Company’s proposal. No public comments were filed.
The Company did not respond.
With this Order, the Commission approves the Company’s proposed modification to
Schedule No. 95.
THE APPLICATION
The Company seeks to modify Schedule No. 95 to offer customers a third option to
purchase clean energy. The Company proposes to add a 100% renewable option which would
allow customers to purchase 1 kilowatt-hour (“kWh”) of renewable power sourced from the
Western Interconnection to offset each kWh billed to the customer’s selected meter. Each kWh
purchased under this option would cost $0.01 in addition to the customer’s regular rate. The
IN THE MATTER OF AVISTA
CORPORATION’S FILING PROPOSING
MODIFICATIONS TO TARIFF SCHEDULE
NO. 95

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CASE NO. AVU-E-20-14

ORDER NO. 34963

ORDER NO. 34963 2
number of kWhs purchased each month would correspond directly to a customer’s actual usage
each month.
COMMENTS
Staff reviewed the Company’s proposed modification to Schedule No. 95 and
recommended Commission approval. Staff supported the Company’s request to offer a 100%
renewable option, opining that it would eliminate the need for customers to estimate their monthly
block purchases. Staff stated that the proposed Schedule No. 95 simplifies the buying process by
matching monthly energy consumption to the renewable energy offset. Staff confirmed that the
costs of participation in the My Clean Energy Program are self-contained and tracked separately
to avoid shifting costs to non-participants. Additionally, Staff noted that the Company expects its
billing system will be able to support the 100% match option by the end of March 2021.
COMMISSION DECISION AND FINDINGS
The Commission has jurisdiction over this matter under Idaho Code §§ 61-502 and 61-
503. The Commission is empowered to investigate rates, charges, rules, regulations, practices, and
contracts of public utilities and to determine whether they are just, reasonable, preferential,
discriminatory, or in violation of any provision of law, and to fix the same by order. Idaho Code
§§ 61-502 and 61-503. The Commission has reviewed the record and based on our review we find
it reasonable to approve the Company’s proposed modification to Schedule No. 95.
O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Company’s proposed modification to Schedule
No. 95—My Clean Energy Program, is approved, effective upon the issuance of this Order.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER. Any person interested in this Order may petition for
reconsideration within twenty-one (21) days of the service date of this Order regarding any matter
decided in this Order. Within seven (7) days after any person has petitioned for reconsideration,
any other person may cross-petition for reconsideration. See Idaho Code § 61-626.
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ORDER NO. 34963 3
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 16th
day of March 2021.

PAUL KJELLANDER, PRESIDENT

KRISTINE RAPER, COMMISSIONER

ERIC ANDERSON, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Jan Noriyuki
Commission Secretary

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