20170807Comments (2).PDF

Diane Holt
From:[e-mail]
Sent:Monday,August 7,2017 11:42 AM
To:Beverly Barker;Diane Holt;Matthew Evans
Subject:Case Comment Form:Laura Victor
Name:Laura Victor
Case Number:IPC-E-16-28
Email:[e-mail]
Telephone:[phone]
Address:70 River Sage Ct
Hailey idaho,83333
Name of Utility Company:Idaho Power
Comment:Dear Idaho Power Utility Commissioners,
Some of us are full time residents of the Wood River Valley,some of us part time residents.We are all Blame County
taxpayers and Idaho Power customers.We are quite concerned about the “Redundant Line”which has been proposed
by Idaho Power.After reading up on the performance history of the existing power line and looking at the proposals set
forth by Idaho Power,we can only say that it makes no sense,for many reasons,to build this line at a cost to ratepayers
and taxpayers,of 30 million dollars (proposed,likely it would be significantly more).Our specific concerns and
objections are as follows:
1)The existing line has had only one sustained outage,which would still have occurred even if the proposed
redundant line (“RL”)had been in place.The RL would not have prevented the outage,nor would it have provided
power while the main line was out of operation.
2)The current power line,by most everyone’s description of it,is fully operational.Even the Idaho PUC staffer who
testified objects to the construction of the redundant line.We can see how it would make sense to replace the wood
poles with steel ones,to mitigate damage from potential fires,but that’s about the extent of it.
3)The proposed RL is WAY more visually intrusive than the existing power line.
4)A great deal of the expense of this line,as proposed,is from the undergrounding of the lines on the southern
part of Ketchum,presumably to make it “prettier”,and more acceptable to the cities of Ketchum and Sun Valley.If they
are going to bury it to make it more acceptable to part of the Wood River Valley shouldn’t they make it prettier for ALL
of the WRy?Is it appropriate that everyone in the valley and all ratepayers will be paying for the line,but only those in
the Ketchum/Sun Valley area don’t have to look at it every day?
We urge you to deny Idaho Power’s request for the redundant transmission line.
Sincerely,
The River Sage Court Subdivision HOA:
David and Laura Victor
Bob and Lee Grogan
Don and Beverly Jefferson
Neil Collins
Penny and Richard Weiss
Pat and Patty Carter
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Unique Identifier:70.171.138.119
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Diane Holt
From:Camille Christen
Sent:Monday,August 7,2017 11:47 AM
To:Diane Holt;Daphne Huang
Subject:FW:comments on the Wood River transmission line for the commission
Another public comment for the file in IPC-E-16-28,the Wood River case.
From:Elise Lufkin [mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent:Monday,August 07,2017 11:32 AM
To:Jean Jewell <[e-mail]>;Camille Christen <[e-mail]>
Subject:comments on the Wood River transmission line for the commission
Dear Members of the Idaho PUC,
I was unable to attend the meeting held in Ketchum for public input into the proposed redundant transmission line
connecting the Hailey transmission station to the Ketchum substation so am instead offering my comments by this
letter.
I am opposed to the line for the following reasons:
•It is unnecessary.PUC staff themselves have concluded that Idaho Power has not proven a need for the line,and
the existing line has worked great for 40 plus years.Why not make repairs to the existing line?That’s cost a
whole lot less than building a second line,even with the cost of building a shoo-fly line for the duration of the
repairs.
•It does not serve the interests of the north valley by providing emergency backup power.It runs alongside the
existing line so anything that threatens the existing line would also threaten it.
•It’s expensive.Why should rate payers throughout Idaho have to pay for an unnecessary line?
I know that SV Company and St.Luke’s Hospital have spoken in favor of the line as they need a secure power source.Iunderstandthatneed,obviously,but why don’t they increase their generator capacity?Why should all the rest of us
have to pay for their power needs?
I encourage the commission to resist the pressure to build this line and instead think of the long term best interests of
both the rate payers and the power users in the north valley.
Sincerely,
Elise Galpin
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