20070822notice_of_modified_procedure.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
August 22, 2007
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF IDAHO POWER
COMPANY'S PETITION TO INCREASE CASE NO. IPC-07-
THE PUBLISHED RATE ELIGIBILITY CAP
FOR WIND-POWERED SMALL POWER
PRODUCTION FACILITIES; AND NOTICE OF
MODIFIED PROCEDURE
TO ELIMINATE THE 90%/110%
PERFORMANCE BAND FOR WIND-NOTICE OF
POWERED SMALL POWER PRODUCTION COMMENT/PROTEST DEADLINE
FACILITIES
On February 6, 2007, Idaho Power Company (Idaho Power; Company) filed a
Petition with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (Commission) proposing a $10.72/MWh
wind integration adjustment or reduction to published avoided cost rates. In support of its
proposal the Company submitted its recently completed Wind Integration Study. The Company
requested a Commission order
1. Raising the cap on entitlement to published avoided cost rates for intermittent
wind-powered small power production facilities that are qualifying facilities (QFs) under
Sections 201 and 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) from the
current level of 100 kW to 10 aMW per month; and
2. Authorizing Idaho Power to purchase state-of-the-art wind forecasting services
that will provide the Company with forecasts of wind conditions in those geographic areas where
the Company s wind generation resources are located. It is Idaho Power s proposal that the
order should further provide that wind-powered QFs will reimburse the Company for their share
of the cost of the wind forecasting service; and
3. Authorizing Idaho Power to require the inclusion of a Mechanical Availability
Guarantee (MAG) in all new contracts to purchase energy from wind-powered QFs; and
4. In conjunction with the Commission s approval of paragraphs 1 , 2 and 3 above
the Company proposes to eliminate the requirement that the 90%/110% performance band be
included in new contracts for energy purchases from intermittent wind-powered QFs.
A Notice of Petition and Notice of Preliminary Procedure was issued in Case No.
IPC-07-03 on February 16, 2007. As a matter of preliminary procedure and prior to any
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
NOTICE OF COMMENT/PROTEST DEADLINE
procedural scheduling by the Commission, Idaho Power on March 15 , 2007, hosted the first
public workshop in Case No. IPC-07-03. Pursuant to Notice, a second public workshop was
held on June 20, 2007.
On June 28, 2007, the Commission issued a Notice establishing an intervention
deadline of July 18, 2007. The following parties requested and were granted intervenor status:
Exergy Development Group of Idaho LLC; Renewable NW Project and N.W. Energy Coalition;
PacifiCorp dba Rocky Mountain Power; Ridgeline Energy LLC; Idaho Windfarms LLC; Cassia
Gulch Wind Park LLC and Cassia Wind Farms LLC; A vista Corporation; Snake River Alliance;
Gerald Fleischman; Renaissance Engineering & Design, PLLC; Blue Ribbon Energy LLC; and
INL Biofuels and Renewable Energy Technologies.
On July 31 and August 10, 2007 Commission Staff sponsored joint settlement
workshops in Case Nos. IPC-07-03 (Idaho Power), PAC-07-07 (PacifiCorp), and A VU-
07-02 (Avista) to explore whether parties of record could agree to a common generic wind
integration adjustment to published rates. IDAPA 31.01.01.272-276.
The Commission has been informed that the participants in the joint settlement
workshops were unable to reach a compromise generic settlement. In consideration of the
foregoing and based on its review of the filings of record in Case No. IPC-07-, YOU ARE
HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Commission has preliminarily found that the public interest
regarding Idaho Power s proposed wind integration adjustment (with related proposed rate
methodology modifications) may not require a hearing to consider the issues presented by the
Petition and that the Petition may be processed under Modified Procedure i.e., by written
submission rather than by hearing. Reference Commission Rules of Procedure IDAPA
31.01.01.201-204.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission may not hold a hearing in
this proceeding unless it receives written protests or comments opposing the use of Modified
Procedure and stating why Modified Procedure should not be used.
31.01.01.203.
Reference IDAPA
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the deadlines for filing written comments
or protests with respect to the Petition and the Commission s use of Modified Procedure in Case
No. IPC-07-03 are as follows:
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
NOTICE OF COMMENT/PROTEST DEADLINE
Initial Comment Deadline
Reply Deadline
Friday, September 21 , 2007
Friday, October 5 , 2007
Persons desiring a hearing must specifically request a hearing in their written protests or
comments.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that if no written comments or protests are
received within the deadline, the Commission may consider the matter on its merits and may
enter its Order without a formal hearing. If comments or protests are filed within the deadline
the Commission will consider them and in its discretion may set the matter for hearing or may
decide the matter and issue its Order based on the written positions before it. Reference IDAP A
31.01.01.204.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Petition in Case No. IPC-07-03 may be
viewed at www.puc.idaho.gov by clicking on "File Room" and "Electric Cases " or can be
viewed during regular business hours at the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, 472 W.
Washington Street, Boise, Idaho and at the general business office of Idaho Power Company,
1221 West Idaho Street.
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
NOTICE OF COMMENT/PROTEST DEADLINE
DATED at Boise, Idaho this ;1..bl
Ai day of August 2007.
PAUL KJ L . ER, RESIDENT
~TH' ~M
ATTEST:
bls!N:IPC-O7-03 sw4
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
NOTICE OF COMMENT/PROTEST DEADLINE