20040301Press Release.pdf

Janet Bahora
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Gene Fadness
Friday, February 27, 2004 11:27 AM
ipuc pr~puclist.state. id.
Public hearings set in Idaho Power rate case
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
For Immediate Release
Case No. IPC-E-03-February 27, 2004
Contact: Gene Fadness [phone]
Website: www.puc.state.id.
Public hearings set in Idaho Power rate case
Boise - Public hearings are scheduled in five southern Idaho communi ties regarding Idaho
Power Company I s request to the Idaho Public Utili ties Commission for an average 17.
percent rate increase.
Idaho Power filed an application to the commission for authority to raise rates last
October. Since then, commission staff members have conducted public workshops and the
commission has received testimony from the company, commission staff and other intervenors
in the case. At the public hearings, citizens will be able to provide testimony to the
three commissioners who will decide the case. Hearings are slated for Pocatello, Jerome,
McCall , Payette and Boise.
If Idaho Power s application were granted in full, rates would increase an average of 17.
percent, but the increase would vary by customer class because the costs of serving each
class differ. For residential customers, the increase would be 19.9 percent; for small
commercial , 21 percent; for large commercial , 15 percent; for industrial, 13.9 percent and
for irrigation, 25 percent. Included as part of the average 17.7 percent increase is a
proposed increase in the customer service charge for residential and small commercialcustomers from $2.51 per month to $10.
Those rate increases to generate an additional $85.5 million in revenue Idaho Power says
it needs to meet the demands of a growing customer base and significant system upgrades
since the company s last rate case in 1993.
Commission staff , which filed testimony last week, is proposing a revenue increase of
$14.8 million, which would increase rates an average 3.06 percent. Under staff I s proposal
residential rates would increase by 2.5 percent; small commercial, 4.2 percent; largecommercial 1.2 percent, industrial, no increase and irrigation, 15 percent. Staff proposes
an increase in the residential customer service charge from $2.51 per month to $3.
The company proposes an annual increase in revenue of about $86 million while commission
staff proposes about $15 million. The commission is free to adopt, reject or modify
proposals from staff as well as other intervenors in the case.
Location, dates and times for the public hearings are as follows:
Pocatello, Monday, March 15, 1 p.m., City Hall , 911 N. Seventh St.
Jerome, Monday, March 15, 6:30 p.m., Sawtooth Inn, 2653 S. Lincoln.
McCall, Wednesday, March 17 , 6:30 p.m., Best Western , 415 N. Third St.
Payette, Thursday, March 18, 2:30 p.m., Payette High School auditorium,
Sixth Ave. South.
Boise, Wednesday, March 31,6:30 p.m., Idaho Public Utilities Commission
hearing room, 472 W. Washington St.
1500
Citizens can also submit written comments through April 30 from the commission s Web site
at www.puc.state.id.us. Click on "Comments and Question," insert the case number , IPC-E-
03-13, and enter your comments. Comments can also be mailed to the commission at P.O. Box
83720, Boise, 10, 83720-0074, or faxed to 208-334-3762.
All the documents regarding this case, including testimony from the company,
staff and intervenors can be accessed from the commission Web site. Click on
rate case," in the upper right-hand corner. The documents are also availableinspection at commission offices at 4 7 2 W. Washington St, Boise.
commission
Idaho Power
for public
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