20120315notice_of_application_order_no_32479.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
March 15,2012
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF IDAHO POWER )
COMPANY’S APPLICATION TO INCREASE )CASE NO.IPC-E-12-09
ITS ELECTRIC RATES TO RECOVER THE )BOARDMAN BALANCING ACCOUNT )NOTICE OF APPLICATION
)
)NOTICE OF
)INTERVENTION DEADLINE
)
)NOTICE OF
)PUBLIC WORKSHOP
)
______________________________
)ORDER NO.32479
On February 15,2012,Idaho Power Company applied to the Commission for an
Order authorizing the Company to increase its rates to begin recovery of the Boardman balancing
account.1 The Company seeks to recover $1,583,373 in annual revenue,which the Company
says results in a uniform percentage increase of 0.1 8%to all customer classes.The Company
asks that the rate change take effect on June 1,2012,and that the case be reviewed under
Modified Procedure.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that Idaho Power owns 10%of the coal-fired,
Boardman power plant in Oregon.On February 15,2012,the Commission authorized the
Company to establish a balancing account related to Boardman’s early closure,which is set to
occur by December 31,2020.Application at 2-3;Order No.32457.The Company says the
balancing account will let it track,on a cumulative basis,the difference between revenues and
expenses associated with the Boardman shutdown.Application at 2.The Company says the
The Company has concurrently filed three other applications.See Case Nos.IPC-E-12-06,IPC-E-12-07,and IPCE-12-08.The Company claims its four filings will cumulatively decrease rates for most customers.The Companydescribesthecumulativerateimpactforthemajorcustomerclassesas:Residential Schedule I,(0.80%);SmallGeneralSchedule7,(0.55%);Large General Schedule 9,(1.07%);Large Power Schedule 19,0.65%;andAgriculturalIrrigationSchedule24,(1.09%).The Company says the rates for its Special Contract customers willcumulativelychangeasfollows:Micron,0.66%:Simplot and Department of Energy (INL).0.68%;and Hoku Block1,0.67%.See Application.Atch.4.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP
ORDER NO.32479 1
balancing account also will ensure that customers only pay for actual expenditures.Id.The
Company is replacing the base rate revenue recovery associated with the Company’s existing
investment in Boardman with a levelized revenue requirement to be tracked in the balancing
account.Id.at 2-3.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that with this Application,the Company asks to
recover the levelized revenue requirement.This includes the return associated with Boardman
capital investments net of accumulated depreciation forecasted through Boardman’s remaining
life,the costs of accelerating the Boardman depreciation,and the decommissioning costs
associated with the Boardman shutdown.Id.at 3.The Idaho jurisdictional incremental annual
change to base rates the Company is requesting to recover in this proceeding is $1,583,373.Id.
The Company proposes to spread this amount to all customer classes and to recover it through a
percentage increase to all base rate components except the service charge.Id.The Company
says the overall,average Boardman-related rate change will be a 0.18%increase,with the per-
customer class impact for the major rate schedules being:
Customer Class Proposed Increase
Residential (Sch.1)0.18%
Small General (Sch.7)0.17%
Large General (Sch.9)0.19%
Large Power (Sch.19)0.20%
Agricultural Irrigation (Sch.24)0.19%
The Company says depreciation-related rates for special contract customers Micron,Simplot,
Department of Energy (TNL),and Hoku Materials second block will increase by 0.20%.Id.,
Attachment No.1.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that with this Application,the Company filed a
set of proposed tariff sheets that identifies all four cases’cumulative impact.The Company says
it will make an appropriate,final compliance filing when all final Orders are received.Id.at 3-4.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company also says it will keep its
Application open for public inspection at its Idaho offices,and that it will notify customers
through a press release and bill inserts,with the last notice to be sent on March 20,2012.Id.at
4-5.The Company says,in the alternative,it will bring the Application to the attention of
customers as directed by the Commission.Id.at 5.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP
ORDER NO.32479 2
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company requested its Application be
processed by Modified Procedure.After Staff,the Company,and interested parties have
reviewed this matter in workshops,the Commission will determine whether the case may be
processed by Modified Procedure.See IDAPA 31.01.01.201-204.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Application,supporting workpapers,and
exhibits have been filed with the Commission and are available for public inspection during
regular business hours at the Commission offices.The Application and workpapers are also
available on the Commission’s web site at www.puc.idaho.gov by clicking on “File Room”and
then “Electric Cases.”
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all proceedings in this matter will be
conducted pursuant to the Commission’s Rules of Procedure,IDAPA 31.01.01.000 et seq.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission has jurisdiction over this
matter pursuant to Title 61 of the Idaho Code.The Commission may enter any final Order
consistent with its authority under Title 61.
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that persons desiring to intervene for the purpose
of presenting evidence or cross-examining witnesses at hearing must file a Petition to
Intervene with the Commission no later than 14 days from service date of this Order
pursuant to this Commission’s Rules of Procedure 72 and 73,IDAPA 3 1.01.01.072 and .073.
Persons seeking intervenor status shall also provide the Commission Secretary with their
electronic mail address to facilitate further communications in this matter.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that persons desiring to present their views
without parties’rights of participation and cross-examination are not required to intervene and
may present their comments without prior notification to the Commission or to other parties.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that once the intervention deadline has passed,
the Commission Secretary will issue a Notice of Parties if any Petitions to Intervene are granted.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission has scheduled a public
workshop in this matter on THURSDAY,APRIL 5,2012 AT 2:00 P.M.IN THE
COMMISSION HEARING ROOM,472 WEST WASHINGTON STREET,BOISE,
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP
ORDER NO.32479 3
IDAHO.The public workshop will offer Staff,the Company,and interested persons an
opportunity to meet,ask questions,receive information,and possibly resolve issues in dispute.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the parties participating in the workshop may
offer to settle some or all of the issues to be discussed at the workshop.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all workshops and hearings in this matter
will be held in facilities meeting the accessibility requirements of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA).Persons needing the help of a sign language interpreter or other
assistance in order to participate in or to understand testimony and argument at a public hearing
may ask the Commission to provide a sign language interpreter or other assistance at the hearing.
The request for assistance must be received at least five (5)working days before the hearing by
contacting the Commission Secretary at:
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
P0 BOX 83720
BOISE,IDAHO 83720-0074
[phone] (Telephone)
[phone] (FAX)
E-Mail:secretarvpuc.idaho.gov
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the foregoing scheduling is adopted.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Company’s Application need not include
proposed tariff sheets as required by Rule 121.01(a).The Commission waives that requirement
under Rule 13 for purposes of this proceeding.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP
ORDER NO.32479 4
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise,Idaho this
day of March 2012.
1 KJ El .EANI)ER..PRLSH)LN 1
ATTEST:
Jn D.JewelJ
ómmission Secretary
O:IPC-E I 2-O9kk
MARSHA H.SMITH,COMMISSIONER
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP
ORDER NO.32479 5