20060619Application.pdf

IDAHO POWER COMPANY
O. BOX 70
BOISE, IDAHO 83707 i : ~ :
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BARTON L. KLINE
Senior Attorney
An IDACORP Company
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June 19 , 2006
Jean D. Jewell , Secretary
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
472 West Washington Street
P. O. Box 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720-0074
Re:Case No. IPC-06-
Idaho Power Company s Motion For
Extension of Time to File 2006
Integrated Resource Plan
Dear Ms. Jewell:
Please find enclosed for filing an original and seven (7) copies of Idaho
Power s Motion For Extension of time to File its 2006 Integrated Resource Plan.
I would appreciate it if you would return a stamped copy of this transmittal
letter to me in the self-addressed stamped envelope enclosed.
~CL-
Barton L. Kline
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Enclosures
Telephone [phone], Fax [phone] E-mail BKlinefiYidahopower.com
MONICA MOEN , ISB# 5734
BARTON KLINE , ISB # 1526
Idaho Power Company
1221 West Idaho Street
O. Box 70
Boise, Idaho 83707
Telephone: [phone]
FAX Telephone: [phone]
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Attorney for Idaho Power Company
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
INTHE MATTER OF THE FILING BY
IDAHO POWER COMPANY OF ITS
2006 ELECTRIC INTEGRATED
RESOURCE PLAN (IRP)
CASE NO. IPC-06- If,
MOTION FOR EXTENSION OF
TIME TO FILE 2006 INTEGRATED
RESOURCE PLAN
COMES NOW Idaho Power Company ("Idaho Power" or the "Company
and hereby moves the Commission for an order authorizing a ninety (90) day extension
of the time for filing its 2006 Integrated Resource Plan. This Motion is based on the
following:
In accordance with the provisions of Commission Order No. 22299
issued in Case No. U-1500-165, Idaho Power biennially files its Integrated Resource
Plan ("I RP"). The IRP describes the Company s expectations for load growth and
provides an overview of available resource options , including purchases of power from
the wholesale market, the acquisition of additional generating resources and demand-
side management programs. The Commission s Orders establishing the procedure to
MOTION , Page
be followed in the IRP process require that the Company file the IRP by the end of June
every other year. However, for the reasons described below , it will not be possible for
the Company to meet the June 30, 2006 deadline and Idaho Power respectfully
requests the Commission authorize the Company to file its 2006 IRP on or before
September 29 2006.
The principal reason for this request for an extension of time to file
the 2006 IRP arises out of constraints placed upon the Company s ability to integrate
transmission costs and transmission availability into its resource evaluation matrix.
These constraints have been brought about by recent changes in the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission s Standards of Conduct ("FERC SOC" or "SOC"
In preparing previous IRPs , Idaho Power formed a team that
utilized the expertise residing in various areas of the Company. Representatives from
Power Supply, Delivery, Pricing and Regulatory Services , Finance and other business
units and departments within the Company worked cooperatively to prepare and finalize
the IRP.
At the outset of the 2006 IRP cycle , Idaho Power s review of recent FERC
SOC orders indicated that the Company may not be able to obtain transmission costs
and other transmission information directly from its Delivery business unit employees.
The Company knew that if its understanding was correct, these constraints on the
Company s ability to obtain transmission information would make it more difficult for
Idaho Power to conduct the IRP process. With less information on transmission costs
and capability, the evaluation of various resource portfolios becomes more difficult.
MOTION, Page 2
To see if there was a way to mitigate the effects of the new SOC
constraints, Company officials traveled to Washington , D.C. and met directly with FERC
Commissioners and FERC Staff. As a result of that meeting and further analysis of
FERC's orders relating to the SOC , it was determined that the IRP planning process
was a part of the Energy Affiliate function of the Company. Therefore, personnel
involved with the IRP planning process could not directly interact with personnel from
the transmission and delivery side of the Company as they had in developing the 2004
Integrated Resource Plan.
Eventually it was determined that the best way for the 2006 I RP to
move forward was to retain an independent consulting firm to perform much of the
transmission analysis for the I RP which would have otherwise been obtained from the
Company s Delivery business unit. This resulted in a significant time delay in the IRP
process , both for the hiring of the independent consultant and providing the consultant
with time to become familiar with the status of the Company s existing transmission
system. The same Company personnel that conduct much of the IRP analysis were
also involved in the interaction with the transmission consulting firm.
Another event that impacted the Company s ability to expeditiously
proceed with the IRP process came about when the Company hired a consulting firm to
conduct a wind integration study. This study was necessitated by, in part, the
abundance of wind generation proposals made by PURPA developers as well as the
Company s Wind RFP. The Wind RFP was a direct result of the Company s 2004 IRP
action plan. Again , many of the same Company personnel who perform the IRP
analysis are also involved in working with the consultant preparing the wind integration
MOTION , Page 3
study. This created another temporary constraint on the Company s personnel
resources.
In preparing the 2006 IRP , the Company has continued to work
with its Integrated Resource Planning Advisory Committee ("IRPAC") as it did in
preparing the 2004 IRP. The IRPAC is aware of the constraints faced by the Company
in working through these transmission issues. The IRPAC is also aware of the
important role transmission information plays in planning the Company s resource
portfolios. The IRPAC has been sympathetic to the Company s efforts to work within
FERC SOC compliance constraints and has been informed of the Company s request
for an extension of the date for filing the 2006 I RP.
Idaho Power hereby requests that the Commission allow the
Company to file the 2006 IRP on or before September 29 2006. Idaho Power will work
diligently to file the 2006 IRP prior to that date, but the Company believes it would be in
the public interest for the Commission to allow the Company this ninety (90) day
extension in the filing date.
Based on the foregoing, the Company respectfully requests that
the Commission, either by Order or by minute entry, authorize the Company to file its
2006 IRP on or before September 29,2006.
Respectfully submitted this 19th day of June , 2006.
BART
~CL--
Attorney for Idaho Power Company
MOTION , Page 4