20220124Reply Comments.pdf

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Avista Corp.
1411 East Mission P.O.Box3727
Spokane. Washington 99220-0500
Telephone [phone]
Toll Free 800-727-9170
January 24,2021
Jan Noriyuki, Secretary
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
11331 W. Chinden Blvd. Bldg. 8, Ste. 201-A
Boise,Idaho 83714
RE: Case No. AVII-E-21-13 - Reply Comments of Avista Utilities
Dear Ms. Noriyuki:
Avista Corporation, doing business as Avista Utilities' (Avista or the Company), appreciates both
the Idaho Public Utilities Commission Staffs (Staff) and the Idatro Conservation League's (ICL)
evaluation and thoughtful comments of the pilot program proposed by the Company for the
research and development (R&D) of electric fransportation in Idaho (Pilot).
The Company agrees with Staffs recorrmendations for approval of the Company's Pilot,
including carrying over unused R&D funds from2021, approximately $l13,683, to fund the Pilot
in2022. With the carry over funds available, the R&D budget will be sufficient to fund year 1 of
the Pilot. For years 2 and 3 of the Pilot, if approved by the Commission, the Company will defer
the excess expenses above $300,000, approximately $110,000 per year, into a regulatory asset
account for recovery in a future proceeding.
Regarding ICL's comments, Avista agrees that any long-term future Transportation Electrification
program should be outlined in a new tariff with funding addressed via a tariff rider, other cost
recovery mechanism, or general rate case. For purposes of the Pilot, the Company agrees with
Staffthat funding the entire Pilot as an R&D program from the energy efficiency tariffrider makes
the most sense. In terms of research on the Pilot the Company does intend to study how EV
charging behaviors affect overall customer usage and demand, along with the cost of senrice across
Avista's Idaho service territory. Finally, regarding the recommendation to include a low-income
component, the Company has done this by planning to install up to 5 chargers per year in rural
access locations, which tend be lower income areas. Beyond this effort, due to the limited budget
of the Pilot, the Company was not able to include additional low-income elements at this time. [n
the future, the Company acknowledges the need to include additional low-income components as
part of a larger progftrm, which Avista will work with both ICL and Staff on potential ideas and
strategies for targeting this customer segment.
Please direct any questions regarding this filing to Paul Kimball at 5094954584 or
paul.kimall@avistacorp. com
Sincerely,
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Paul Kimball
Managerof Compliance & Discovery
Avista Utilities
509495-4584
oaul.kimball@avistacorp. com
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