20240215Final_Order_No_36086.pdf

ORDER NO. 36086 1
Office of the Secretary
Service Date
February 15, 2024

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF AVISTA’S ANNUAL
COMPLIANCE FILING TO UPDATE THE
LOAD AND GAS FORECASTS IN THE
INCREMENTAL COST INTEGRATED
RESOURCE PLAN AVOIDED COST MODEL
TO BE USED FOR AVOIDED COST
CALCULATIONS
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CASE NO. AVU-E-23-13

ORDER NO. 36086

On September 19, 2023, Avista Corporation (“Company”) submitted a compliance filing
requesting an order accepting its updated load forecast, natural gas price forecast, and contract
information components used as inputs to calculate its incremental cost Integrated Resource Plan
(“IRP”) avoided cost rates (“Filing”).
On December 13, 2023, the Commission issued Order No. 36023 approving the
Company’s Filing subject to a compliance filing (“Compliance Filing”) requiring the Company to
use current data in its forecast and explain the differences between its updated forecasts and last
year’s forecasts. Order Nos. 32697 and 36023.
On December 20, 2023, the Company submitted a Compliance Filing.
At the Commission’s January 16, 2024, Decision Meeting, Staff presented a Decision
Memorandum which noted that Staff had reviewed the Company’s Compliance Filing and
recommended the Commission issue an Order specifying that the Company had fully complied
Commission requirements as set forth in Order Nos. 32697 and 36023.
COMMISSION FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
The Commission has jurisdiction over this matter under Idaho Code §§ 61-501, -502 and -
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 -503. In addition, the Commission has authority under Public Utility Regulatory
Policies Act (“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
from QFs, and to implement FERC rules. The Commission may enter any final order consistent
with its authority under Title 61 and PURPA.

ORDER NO. 36086 2
We have reviewed the record in this case. We find that the Compliance Filing complies
with the requirements of Order No. 32697 in that it uses sufficiently current data. We also find that
the Compliance filing adequately explains the differences between the current forecasts and the
forecasts provided last year as required by Order No. 36023. For these reasons, the Commission
finds that the updated forecasts are sufficiently current for use in the Company’s IRP-based
avoided cost model. Accordingly, the Commission approves the Filing as updated by the
Company’s Compliance Filing with an effective date of January 1, 2024.
O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Company’s Filing as updated is approved effective as
of January 1, 2024.
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 about 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. Idaho Code § 61-626.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 15th day of
February 2024.

__________________________________________
ERIC ANDERSON, PRESIDENT

__________________________________________
JOHN R. HAMMOND JR., COMMISSIONER

__________________________________________
EDWARD LODGE, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Monica Barrios-Sanchez
Commission Secretary

I:\Legal\ELECTRIC\AVU-E-23-13_Forecast\orders\AVUE2313_Comp_md.docx