20040909Notice of Vacated Hearing.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
September 9, 2004
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF
IDAHO POWER COMPANY FOR AUTHORITY
TO IN CREASE ITS INTERIM AND BASE
RATES AND CHARGES FOR ELECTRIC SERVICE.
CASE NOS. IPC-O3-
NOTICE OF VACATED
TECHNICAL HEARING
After conducting public and technical hearings on Idaho Power Company
Application to increase its rates for service, the Commission set new base rates in Order No.
29505 issued on May 25 , 2004. In Order No. 29505 the Commission ordered the Company to
calculate its income tax expense using a five-year average. This adjustment reduced the
Company s annual revenue requirement attributable to income tax expense by $11 504 677 and
prompted Idaho Power to seek reconsideration of this issue (as well as others).
In Order No. 29547 issued July 13 2004, the Commission granted reconsideration on
that portion of Order No. 29505 relating to the calculation of the income tax expense for revenue
requirement purposes. In anticipation of the technical hearing on reconsideration scheduled for
September 10, 2004, Idaho Power and Commission Staff ("the Parties ) entered in to settlement
discussions that resulted in a stipulation executed and filed August 16, 2004. The Parties also
filed a Joint Motion requesting that the Commission accept the Parties ' settlement of the income
tax expense issue.
The Commission sought comments from the public and other parties to the rate case
about whether the Commission should adopt the settlement proposed by Idaho Power and Staff.
Order No. 29567. Although we vacated the simultaneous prefile and rebuttal testimony filing
deadlines set forth in the Notice of Scheduling issued August 2 2004, we retained the September
, 2004 hearing date in the event live testimony was needed. We have reviewed the comments
concerning the proposed settlement and note that no party that would participate in the technical
hearing has opposed it. We believe the record provides a sufficient basis for the Commission to
render a decision on the merits of the proposed settlement. Consequently, we find the technical
hearing should be vacated.
NOTICE OF V ACA TED
TECHNICAL HEARING
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that pursuant to agreement of the parties and the
Commission, the technical hearing in Case No. IPC-03-13 previously scheduled for September
, 2004, is vacated. A Commission Order addressing the merits of the proposed settlement will
be issued forthwith.
DATED at Boise, Idaho this Cf'l-l'--" day of September 2004.
~- JJ~
MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:
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~'!V
Barbara Barrows
Assistant Commission Secretary
N:IPCEO313 1n3- Vacate Hearing
NOTICE OF VACATED
TECHNICAL HEARING