20050727final order no 29834.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
July 27 2005
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF
IDAHO POWER COMPANY'S PETITION FOR
AN ORDER PROVIDING A LIMITED WAIVER
OF UTILITY CUSTOMER RELATIONS RULE
201.03 AS IT IS APPLIED TO TIME-VARIANTPRICING SERVICE.
CASE NO. IPC-05-
ORDER NO. 29834
On June 2, 2005 , Idaho Power Company filed a Petition with the Commission
requesting an Order providing Idaho Power with a limited waiver of Utility Customer Relations
Rule 201.03 as it applies to the time-variant pricing. Rule 201.03 requires that beginning and
ending meter readings appear on customer s billings. On June 20, 2005, the Commission issued
a Notice of Application and Modified Procedure. Order No. 29807. No comments were
received other than those submitted by Commission Staff. After reviewing the Petition and the
comments, the Commission approves the Petition and grants Idaho Power a limited waiver.
THE PETITION FOR WAIVER
Idaho Power has three optional tariff schedules that involve time-variant pricing.
Schedule 19 is available to large commercial customers with metered demand of 1 000 kW or
more per billing period; and Schedules 4 and 5 are voluntary pilot programs available to
residential customers in the Emmett Valley until April 1 , 2006.
In order to implement the time-variant pricing associated with Schedules 4, 5 , and 19
Idaho Power uses a meter data translation system (MDTS) provided by a third-party vendor. The
Company s MDTS system and billing system do not integrate in a way that allows the beginning
and ending meter readings to be displayed on customers' bills. According to the Company, it
would be costly and time-consuming to modify the two systems in order to print the beginning
and ending meter readings on the monthly bills of those customers participating in the time-
variant pricing options offered by Idaho Power.
ST AFF COMMENTS
Staff supports the Petition but recommended that the Commission approve the
Petition for a limited time. Staff understands that, even though the beginning and ending meter
data will not be printed on Schedules 4, 5 and 19 customer bills as required pursuant to Rule
201.03 , this information can be made available from the third-party vendor data translation
ORDER NO. 29834
system should a dispute or question arise. In addition, Staff noted that the two residential pilot
programs are of limited duration and are only available to a limited number of customers.
Currently, these two pilots have a total of 172 enrolled customers.
Staff recommended that the Commission allow a waiver of Rule 201.03 until
December 31 , 2006. This should provide the Company with adequate time to evaluate its
experience with time-variant pricing programs and determine whether it can comply with Rule
201.03 in the future. Should the Company desire to extend the waiver period or seek a
permanent waiver, Staff recommended that it do so on or before year-end 2006.
COMMISSION FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
Idaho Power Company is a public utility pursuant to Idaho Code 9 61-129. The
Commission has jurisdiction over Idaho Power under the general authority of Title 61 of the
Idaho Code. See, Idaho Code 99 61-302, 303 , 503 and 507.
The Commission has promulgated the Customer Relations Rules for gas, electric, and
water public utilities regulated by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (the Utility Customer
Relations Rules). IDAP A 31.21.01. Pursuant to Rule 201.03
, "
Bills must contain the following
information ... (iJf metered service is the basis for billing, the beginning and ending meter
readings, where the bill is based on actual readings, or a clearly marked statement that the bill is
estimated, if the meter was not actually read, and the quantity of the service provided, when
applicable." IDAP A 31.21.01.201.03. Nonetheless, a utility may petition the Commission for an
exemption or waiver from the Customer Relations Rules. IDAP A 31.21.01.009.
Idaho Power filed for such an exemption in this Petition for a limited waiver of
Utility Customer Relations Rule 201.03 as it applies to time-variant pricing service due to the
cost of reformatting its systems to provide the required data.
Given the reformatting cost, the availability of the information should a dispute arise
the Commission s support of the time-variant pricing options , and the relatively low number of
customers participating in these optional programs, we determine that it is reasonable and in the
public interest to grant Idaho Power Company s Petition for a limited waiver of Utility Customer
Relations Rule 201.03. We also agree with Staff that the waiver should expire December 31
2006.
ORDER NO. 29834
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Petition of Idaho Power Company for a limited
waiver of Utility Customer Relations Rule 201.03 as it applies to the beginning and ending meter
readings time-variant pricing service in Schedules 4, 5 and 19, is granted.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this limited this waiver shall expire on December
, 2006.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER. Any person interested in the Order may petition for
reconsideration within twenty-one (21) days of the service date of this Order with regard to any
matter decided in this Order. Within seven (7) days after any person has petitioned for
reconsideration, any other person may cross-petition for reconsideration. See Idaho Code 99 61-
626 and 62-619.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this ;2 7'
day of July 2005.
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PAUL KJELL ~S ill ENT
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MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:
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D. Jewell
Commission Secretary
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ORDER NO. 29834