20020715Party Letter.doc

July 15, 2002

To: Parties of Record

Re: Case No. GNR-E-02-2

Dear Interested Party:

Thank you for your interest in the Idaho Public Utilities Commission’s case to review and determine a formula for cable television companies to attach equipment to utility company poles. We are planning to convene a workshop during the second week in August to discuss different formulas and relevant policy issues. In order to promote a meaningful discussion at the workshop, the Commission Staff requests that you prepare and return to the Staff within 14 days written answers to the following questions. Answers should also be served upon all other parties.

Questions:
Please provide, expressed as a formula, your proposed methodology for calculating cable television pole attachment rates. Provide a narrative discussion of the legal, policy or economic justifications for your proposed formula.

For each of the following elements, please provide a worksheet showing your proposed method for calculating and including the element in a pole attachment formula. If you believe an element should not be included, indicate that as your response.

Net Investment Per Bare Pole (include the data source and methodology for determining number of poles in the utility’s inventory).
Administrative Carrying Charge.
Maintenance Carrying Charge
Depreciation Carrying Charge
Tax Carrying Charge
Return on Investment
Total Annual Cost per Distribution Pole

If your proposed formula requires a determination of how much space on a pole should be assigned to cable television attachments, describe your proposed methodology for determining space assigned to cable television attachments per pole. Include references to data sources necessary to make the determination.

If your proposed formula requires a determination of what space on a pole should be considered Usable Space, describe your proposed methodology for determining Usable Space. Include references to data sources necessary to make the determination.

Describe your proposed methodology for determining the total number of cable television attachments located on the utility’s poles.

If your proposed formula requires a determination of average pole height, describe your proposed methodology for determining average pole height. Include references to data sources necessary to make the determination.

If you contend a pole attachment formula should include rate elements additional to those identified above, please provide a worksheet setting forth your proposed method for calculating Additional Rate Elements. Include references to data sources necessary to make the calculation(s). Provide a narrative discussion of the economic, policy, legal or other justification for any additional rate elements.

Please contact me at [phone] if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Weldon B. Stutzman
Deputy Attorney General

cc: Jean Jewell

L:GNRE0202_ws
Parties of Record
July 15, 2002
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