20220819Final_Order_No_35509.pdf

ORDER NO. 35509 1

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
August 19, 2022
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

On February 22, 2022, Avista Corporation d/b/a Avista Utilities (“Company”) applied to
the Commission for approval of its capacity deficiency period filing (“Filing”) used for its avoided
cost calculations. The Company must make its Filing after the Commission acknowledges its
Integrated Resource Plan (“IRP”). The Company requested its Application be processed by
Modified Procedure.
On March 18, 2022, the Commission issued a Notice of Application and Notice of
Modified Procedure and set public comment and company reply deadlines. Order No. 35347.
Commission Staff (“Staff”) filed comments on May 5, 2022. The Company filed reply
comments on May 12, 2022. No other comments were received.
On July 15, 2022, the Commission issued Order No. 35466, therein approving the
Company’s updated capacity deficit date for use in the Commission’s Public Utility Regulatory
Policies Act of 1978 (“PURPA”) avoided cost methods.
Staff notified the Company, on August 2, 2022, that it filed updates to the Surrogate
Avoided Resource (“SAR”) Model and re-calculated the published avoided cost rates to reflect the
new capacity deficit date approved by the Commission. On August 3, 2022, the Company filed a
letter stating that it agreed with Staff’s calculations.
With this Order, we approve the updated published avoided cost rates calculated by Staff
on August 2, 2022, with a retroactive effective date of July 15, 2022.
COMMISSION FINDINGS
The Commission has jurisdiction over this matter under Idaho Code §§ 61-501, -502, and
-503. Idaho Code § 61-501 authorizes the Commission to “supervise and regulate every public
utility in the state and to do all things necessary to carry out the spirit and intent of the [Public
Utilities Law].” Idaho Code §§ 61-502 and -503 empower the Commission to investigate rates,
charges, rules, regulations, practices, and contracts of public utilities and to determine whether
IN THE MATTER OF AVISTA
CORPORATION’S COMPLIANCE FILING
TO UPDATE AND ESTABLISH ITS
CAPACITY DEFICIENCY PERIOD TO BE
USED FOR AVOIDED COST
CALCULATIONS
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CASE NO. AVU-E-22-02

ORDER NO. 35509
ORDER NO. 35509 2

they are just, reasonable, preferential, discriminatory, or in violation of any provision of law, and
to fix the same by order. In addition, the Commission has authority under PURPA and Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) regulations to set avoided costs, to order electric
utilities to enter fixed-term obligations for the purchase of energy and capacity from QFs, and to
implement FERC rules. The Commission may enter any final order consistent with its authority
under Title 61 and PURPA.
The Commission has reviewed the record, including the Company’s Filing and attachments
and Staff and Company’s comments. We find the Company’s updated published avoided cost rates
calculated by Staff on August 2, 2022, are correct. These rates shall have a retroactive effective
date of July 15, 2022.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Company’s published avoided cost rates are approved
and shall have a retroactive effective date of July 15, 2022.
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. //

ORDER NO. 35509 3

DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 19th day of
August 2022.

ERIC ANDERSON, PRESIDENT

JOHN CHATBURN, COMMISSIONER

JOHN R. HAMMOND JR., COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Jan Noriyuki
Commission Secretary

I:\Legal\ELECTRIC\AVU-E-22-02 Cap Def\orders\AVUE2202_final_comp_rn.docx