jub.pdf

AUG. 01 . 02 (THU) : 29 J-U-B ENGINEERS. INC.208 TSS 9455 PAGE. 1/2 jqg'b"
~J.U.B'
July 31 , 2002
B ENGINEERS, Inc.
ENGINEERS. SURVEYORS.. PI..MINERS
Regional Office
115 Northstar Avenue
Twin Falls, 10 83301
208.733-2414
Fax: [phone]
www.jub.com
Commission Secretary
. .
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
P. O. Box 83720
Boise Idaho 83720-0074
RE:Case No. ONR.E.O2..
IN THE MATIER OF THE INVESTIGATION
OF THE CONTINUED REASONABLENESS
OF CURRENT SIZE LIMIT A TraNS FOR
PURP A QF PUBLISHED RATE
ELIGIBILITY (Le., 1 MW) AND
RESTRICTIONS ON CONTRACT LENGTH
(Le., 5 YEARS).
Dear Commissioners:
I am a Vice President and Regional Manager for J.B ENGINEERS, Inc. (I-B),working out of our .Twin Falls, Idaho office. .
During the 1980's and early 1990's, J-B was one of the Idaho-based firms that
provided professional engineering services for over fifty (SO) P.URP A, QF hydroelectric'projects. Our services consisted of licensing, design, constnlction engineering, and
operation assistance. Many of those projects were built and have been on line for going
on 20 years. They have proven, contrary to misinfonnation, to be reliable and costcompetitive.
B also has been involved in providing engineering services for over twenty (20) large
dairies in Southern Idaho. Many of the dairy owners. have been very interested in
producing electricity utilizing methane gas from anaerobic digesters. This would be. beneficial for manure management as well as 00m: control.. Producing and sellingelectricity from these facilities could ~elp defray the construction and operation costt and
solve problems.
In Southern Idaho there is probably up to 80 megawatts of capacity that is still available
on seasonal irrigation canal systems. This capacity would be environmentally benign and.possibly could qualify for low impact hydropower institute certification. This couldallow the power to meet green energy requirements. Peak power production ofth.e canalsystem projects is at high power demand periods in the summer. This is very positive fprthe Idaho Power grid. The canal companies and districts benefit significantly by having
hydropower projects on their canals. Thios allows them to make improvements to their
AUG. 01 '02 (THU) 13:30 J-U-B ENGINEERS INC.208 733 9455 PAGE. 2/2
f'" J.U.B j
Engineers Surveyors Plnnners
system and become better water managers. Better management of irrigation water would
be beneficial to the Snake River.
I am very encouraged that the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (!PUG) has addressed
the power contract tenDS (20 years) and project size (10 Mw). Now, however, it isnecessary that an average rate 'of 6 to cents per Kwhr be established for the above
referenced projects to become reality.
The QF industry is good for Idaho and ratepayers, as well as providing economic
development in an environmentally sound way. The industry needs a level playing field
and the IPUC can make that happen. We would encourage the IPUC to revitalize the QF
industry which win be beneficial to the State of Idaho, by establishing average rates of 6
to cents per Kwhr
I appreciate your consid~ration and hope that the favorable rates will be approved by the
Idaho Public Utilities Commission.
Please call me at [phone] if you have any questions or would like to discuss mycornrnents.
Sincerely,
41)Z)mE
D. W. &JBm" Block, P.
Regional Manager
cc:Governor Dirk Kempthome
R. Blair Strong, Avista Corporation
Mark Widmer" Pacificorp
John M. Erikssont PacificoITJ
Barton L. Klinet Idaho Power Company