20061212Decision memo.pdf

DECISION MEMORANDUM
TO:CO MMISSI 0 NER KJELLAND ER
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSIONER HANSEN
COMMISSION SECRETARY
COMMISSION STAFF
LEGAL
FROM:DONOVAN E. WALKER
DATE:DECEMBER 12, 2006
SUBJECT:IDAHO POWER'S PETITION FOR A PERMANENT EXEMPTION
FROM CUSTOMER RELATIONS RULE 201.03 AS APPLIED TO TIME-
ARIANT PRICING SERVICE, CASE NO. IPC-06-
On December 1 , 2006, Idaho Power Company filed a Petition requesting a permanent
exemption from Utility Customer Relations Rule (UCRR) 201.03, IDAPA 31.21.01.201.03, as it
applies to all current and future time-variant pricing services. UCRR 201.03 requires that the
beginning and ending meter readings appear on customer billings.
Idaho Power was previously granted a waiver of the requirements of UCRR 201.03
as it applies to the inclusion of the beginning and ending meter readings for time-variant pricing
service on customers ' bills under Schedules 4 , 5 , and 19. Order No. 29834. That waiver expires
on December 31 , 2006. !d. The Company requests that its Petition be processed by Modified
Procedure.
THE PETITION
Idaho Power currently has three tariff schedules with time-variant pricing based on
usage data collected by Advanced Meter Reading (AMR) systems. Schedule 19 is available to
large commercial customers with metered demand of 1 000 kW or more per billing period.
Schedules 4 and 5 are voluntary pilot programs, the Energy Watch and Time-of-Day Pilot
Programs, available to residential customers in the Emmett Valley until April 1 , 2007.
The Company states that it uses meter data management systems (MDMS) provided
by a third-party vendor, and the MDMS is not designed in such a way that the beginning and
ending meter readings can be displayed on customers' bills. The Company states that it does not
believe it is the best use of resources to modify the MOMS to enable the display of the beginning
DECISION MEMORANDUM
and ending meter reading on the monthly bills of those participating in time-variant pricing
options.
The Company states that it has not received any inquiries from customers regarding
their beginning and ending monthly meter readings. Customer bills currently display the total
metered energy consumption broken into time periods as well as other data required by UCRR
201. The Company states that its customer service representatives have access to the beginning
and ending meter read information, and can directly assist customers should a dispute or inquiry
arIse.
The Company states that it requests a permanent exemption from the requirement of
displaying the monthly beginning and ending meter reading, in order to cost-effectively
accommodate the technological advances in meter reading and billing made possible by AMR.
It states that such an exemption will allow the Company to make additional time-variant pricing
services available in the future without requesting additional limited waivers.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff has reviewed the Company s Petition and recommends that it be processed by
Modified Procedure with comments due on January 8, 2006. Staff also recommends that the
December 31 , 2006 expiration of the previously granted, temporary waiver be extended during
the pendency of this case.
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to authorize the use of Modified Procedure to process the
Company s Petition? Does the Commission wish to extend the previously granted waiver during
the pendency ofthis case?
Donovan E. Walker
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DECISION MEMORANDUM