20070905notice_of_investigation_order_no_30421.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
September 5 , 2007
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PAMELA AND SCOTT BOWERS,
COMPLAINANTS,
IDAHO POWER COMPANY
RESPONDENT.
CASE NO. IPC-07-
NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION
ORDER NO. 30421
On July 3, 2007, the Commission received a "formal" complaint from Pamela and
Scott Bowers (the Bowerses) against Idaho Power. The Bowerses' Complaint was supplemented
and/or reiterated with additional information received by the Commission on July 26, 2007
consisting of additional written information as well as a map of their subdivision. The Bowerses
requested in their Complaint that new rules or laws be enacted dealing with shared transformers
for business/commercial customers. With this Order the Commission opens an investigation and
directs the Company to provide additional information as more fully set forth below.
BACKGROUND
In December 2004, the Bowerses obtained servIce from Idaho Power at their
business, Bowers Transportation, in Caldwell, Idaho. The Bowerses ' business is located in a
commercial subdivision. A pad-mounted transformer was placed on their property, in a recorded
utility easement, to serve their lot. They were required to pay $1 461 for line extension costs
above the allowance for terminal facilities paid by the Company in order to establish their
service connection with Idaho Power.
Around December 2006, on the lot adjacent to the Bowerses, Terra-West Inc. (Terra-
West), established service with Idaho Power with a line extension from the same transformer
serving the Bowerses. Terra- West was not required to pay any money toward the shared
facilities. The Bowerses complained that it was inequitable that they had to pay for a line
extension to obtain service and Terra-West did not. They claim that they are the only lot owners
in their commercial subdivision who are required to share service. The Bowerses are also
extremely upset regarding the easement on their property and the entry onto their property to
hook up Terra-West's service. Additionally, the Bowerses complain that because of the shared
usage of the transformer, if their electric usage increases in the future, i., by additional
NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION
ORDER NO. 30421
construction or buildings on their lot, that they will again have to pay for additional upgrades -
where Terra-West has paid nothing.
DISCUSSION
Having reviewed the Bowerses' Complaint and accompanying materials , we find
there is good cause to initiate an investigation into the line extension rules and policies of Idaho
Power, and more specifically Rule H of the Company s approved tariff. The Commission has
the power and authority to initiate this investigation pursuant to Idaho Code 99 61-503 61-502
61-501 , and 61-612, and may do so upon complaint or upon its own motion.
Pursuant to our authority and on our own motion, the Commission initiates this
investigation into the Bowerses' Complaint including Idaho Power s line extension/refund rules
and policies and Rule H of the Company s approved tariff. We direct Idaho Power Company to
file a report within 30 days of the service date of this Order responding to the issues raised in the
Complaint. The report should generally respond to the Bowerses ' complaints including, but not
limited to: The details surrounding the Bowerses' service request that led to a non-refundable
line extension charge of $1 461 as a result of applying the Company s Rule H line extension
tariff; the details surrounding the service request of Terra-West that led to its service connection
at no charge utilizing the same facilities that serve the Bowerses; and an explanation of how two
customers using the same facilities can be charged so differently under Rule H of the Company
tariff.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Idaho Power Company file a report within 30 days
of the service date of this Order responding to the issues set out above.
NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION
ORDER NO. 30421
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this S#.
day of September 2007.
MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
. o..-~ 7-
ATTEST:
O:IPC-07-
NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION
ORDER NO. 30421