20120314SRA Comment.pdf

Jean Jewell
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Iwoodruff~snakeriveralliance.org
Wednesday, March 14,20128:03 AM
Jean Jewell; Beverly Barker; Gene Fadness
PUC Comment Form
A Comment from Liz Woodruff follows:
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Case Number: IPC-E-12-0S
Name: Liz Woodruff
Address: PO Box 1731
City: Boise
State: ID
Zip: 83701
Daytime Telephone: [phone]
Contact E-Mail: lwoodruff(ásnakeriveralliance.org Name of utility Company:
Acknowledge: acknowledge
Please describe your comment briefly:
Comments of the Snake River Alliance
On Idaho Power's Proposal for New Pricing Options for Customers Time Variant Pricing Case
No.IPC-E-12-0S Submitted by Liz Woodruff, Executive Director, Snake River Alliance
March 14, 2012
The Snake River Alliance appreciates the opportunity to submit these comments to the Idaho
Public Utilities Commission in docket IPC-E-12-0S, Idaho Power Company's request to make
available new pricing options for its customers via "Time Variant Pricing".
The Snake River Alliance (Alliance) is an Idaho-based non-profit organization, established in
1979 to address Idahoans' concerns about nuclear waste and safety issues. In early 2007, the
Alliance expanded the scope of its mission by launching its Clean Energy Program. The
Alliance's energy work includes advocacy for renewable energy resources in Idaho; expanded
energy efficiency, demand response and other demand- side management programs offered by
Idaho's regulated utilities and the Bonneville Power Administration; and development of
local, state, regional, and national initiatives to advance sustainable energy policies.
These comments are submitted on behalf of the Alliance and its members.
The Snake River Alliance supports the new pricing plan submitted by Idaho Power as we believe
the program will help the utility both familiarize its customers with the benefits of peak
reduction and potentially ultimately lead to sizeable reductions in peak use. We believe
that such an approach should be expanded as quickly as possible and that all of Idaho's
Investor Owned Utili ties would benefit from adopting a similar approach. We were also pleased
to see mention in the PUC press release regarding this request that the program would include
information for electric vehicle owners. We appreciate that Idaho Power will make an effort
to reach out to owners of electrical vehicles about this program and feel this is an
excellent first step towards setting the stage for more awareness and program offerings for
emerging electric vehicle users to ensure that increased use of electric vehicles does not
impact an already burdensome peak demand.
While we support Idaho Power's proposal we would like to mention that the outreach program
Idaho Power has described to populate the Time Variant Pricing program may not cast a wide
enough net and may not result in the kind of participation they anticipate. We would like to
see Idaho Power use additional methods to supplement their planned mailed invitation to sign
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cústomers up for the Time Variant Pricing program. The use of electronic communications and
perhaps phone calling could bolster participation. We also hope that the planned invitation
will not be limited to a bill insert and will include detailed information about the benefits
of the program . Ultimately, we would like to see this program offered to residential
customers throughout Idaho Power's service territory and not just in the Treasure Valley.
Thank you for your time and consideration of our comments.
Best regards,
Liz Woodruff
Executive Director
Snake River Alliance
208.344.9161
lwoodruf~snakeri veralliance. org
www. snakeri veralliance. org
The form submitted on http://www . puc. idaho. gov Iforms/ipuc1/ipuc. html
IP address is 70.102.111.178
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