20101112notice_of_vacated_scheduling.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
November 12 2010
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF A REVIEW OF THE
SURROGATE AVOIDABLE RESOURCE
(SAR) METHODOLOGY FOR
CALCULA TIN G PUBLISHED AVOIDED
COST RATES
NOTICE OF
VACATED SCHEDULING
CASE NO. GNR-O9-
BACKGROUND
On August 6, 2009, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (Commission) opened a
generic docket (Case No. GNR-09-03) to assess the continued viability of the Commission
existing proxy unit or surrogate avoided resource (SAR) methodology for calculating published
avoided cost rates. Specifically, the Commission noticed its intent to explore the continued
reasonableness of Jlsing published avoided cost rates as presently calculated for all Qualifying
Cogeneration and Small Power Production Facility (QF) resource types. 18 C.R. 9292.101(6).
As reflected in the Commission s August 6, 2009 Notice, the appropriateness of a
single avoided cost SAR methodology for published rates is being re-examined in the context of
PURP A and FERC requirements 1 and the comparative and different generation and operation
capabilities of resources being offered to Idaho utilities, e., capacity factor, dispatchability,
. intermittency. Written comments were solicited. Reply comments were authorized. All
comments are available for review at the Commission s office, 472 W. Washington Street
Boise, Idaho and on the Commission s web site www.puc.idaho.gov by clicking on "File Room
and then "Electric Cases.
At the Commission s directive, Commission Staff (Staff) prepared a straw man wind
SAR proposal earlier this year and distributed it to a small universe of interested parties (QFs and
utilities) for their review and comment. It was a starting point proposal intended to generate
discussion of its strengths and weaknesses and to provoke the generation of new and better
proposals. Those comments are now available for review at the Commission s offices and on its
web site. The straw man proposal was subsequently attached to a Notice of Public Workshop
I The Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) and the implementing regulations of the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) (18 C.R. ~ 292).
NOTICE OF VACATED SCHEDULING
issued by the Commission on October 6, 2010, and is now available attached to that Notice on
the Commission s web site.
Workshop and Scheduling
On October 6, 20 I 0, the Commission scheduled a public workshop regarding the
straw man proposal. By Amended Notice the workshop was rescheduled for November 3 , 2010.
The purpose of the workshop was to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the straw man
proposal and to discuss other proposals and recommendations of the parties.
Staff represents to the Commission that at the conclusion of the November 3, 2010
workshop, while it seems the parties were in agreement that continued discussions should occur
on some level, it was agreed that there was no appetite or desire for further discussion of Staff s
straw man proposal. Staff accordingly recommends that the November 23 , 2010 deadline for
filing written comments be vacated.
COMMISSION FINDINGS
For reasons set forth above, Commission Staff recommends that the deadline for
filing written comments regarding the straw man wind SAR proposal currently scheduled for
November 23 , 2010 be vacated. The Commission agrees with Staffs recommendation.
expect Staff to make further procedural recommendations at a later date.
NOTICE OF V ACA TED SCHEDULING
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the November 23 , 2010 deadline for filing
written comments regarding the straw man wind SAR proposal is vacated.
NOTICE OF VACATED SCHEDULING
. ") f4'DATED at Boise, Idaho this /0"- day of November 2010.
/I. iibD. KEMPToN, PRE ENT
MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
MACK A. REDFORD, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:~tJ~Je D. Jewell
Commission Secretary
bls/O:GNR-O9-03 sw5
NOTICE OF V ACA TED SCHEDULING