IPCE0143_dh_jh.doc

December 28, 2001

Larry D. Ripley
Idaho Power Company
PO Box 70
Boise, ID 83707-0070
Conley Ward
Givens Pursley LLP
PO Box 2720
Boise, ID 83701-2720 Randall C. Budge
Racine Olson Nye et al
PO Box 1391
Pocatello, ID 83204-1391 Peter J. Richardson
Richardson & O’Leary
PO Box 1849
Eagle, ID 83616
RE: Staff Petition to Reduce the Buy Back Rates in the Astaris-Idaho Power Letter Agreement Approved in April 2001, Case No. IPC-E-01-43

Dear Counsel of Record:

Attached for your information is a Petition filed by the Commission Staff requesting that the Commission find that the buy back rates for the remaining 15 months of the Letter Agreement are unreasonable. Staff requests that the Commission reduce these rates to just and reasonable levels as set out in the Petition and Prefiled Direct Testimony of Keith Hessing, Staff Engineer.

Staff is requesting that the Commission expeditiously process this matter at its earliest convenience. Staff is requesting that the Commission convene a prehearing conference following its decision meeting scheduled for January 14, 2002.

Information contained in several of the Staff Exhibits has been supplied by Idaho Power under a claim of confidentiality. Consequently, parties other than Idaho Power will be served with redacted copies of the subject exhibits. As set out in the Petition, Staff has requested that the Commission examine whether the allegedly confidential information is appropriate for public disclosure.

If you have any questions, please contact me at [phone].

Sincerely,

John R. Hammond, Jr.
Deputy Attorney General

cc: Parties of Record

Enclosures

bls/L:IPCE0143_dh_jh