20190418notice_of_application_order_no_34315.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
April 18,2019
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF IDAHO POWER'S )CASE NO.IPC-E-19-15
APPLICATION TO EVALUATE SCHEDULE )
84 -NET METERING )NOTICE OF APPLICATION
)NOTICE OF PROCEDURAL
)COMMENT DEADLINE
)ORDER NO.34315
On April 5,2019,Idaho Power Company ("Idaho Power"or "Company")filed an
Applicationrequesting the Commission initiate a process to study the continued reasonableness of
Schedule 84.The Company requested Schedule 84 be suspended for new applicants as of April
5,2019,during the pendency of this matter.The Commission now issues this Notice of
Application and Notice of Procedural Comment Deadlines,and denies the Company's request to
suspend Schedule 84 at this time.
BACKGROUND
In IPC-E-17-13,the Commission approvedthe Company's request to move residential
and small general service customers with on-site generation into Schedules 6 and 8.Order Nos.
34046,34147.This left commercial,industrial,and irrigation ("CI&I")customers with on-site
generation in Schedule 84.
Stemming from Commission orders in IPC-E-17-13 are two dockets currently
underway,IPC-E-18-15 and IPC-E-18-16.See Order No.34046.In IPC-E-18-15,the Company
and stakeholders have met numerous times to develop the parameters for a study that will examine
the costs,benefits,rates,and rate design for net excess energy provided by on-site generation
customers now in Schedules 6 and 8.See Order No.34189.In IPC-E-18-16,the Company and
stakeholders have met numerous times to develop the parameters for a study that will examine the
Company's fixed-cost recovery and other rate design options prior to its next general rate case.
See Order No.34190.
DISCUSSION
As a preliminarymatter,based on the record before us we do not find suspension of
Schedule 84 for new applicants justified at this time.The facts stated by the Company in its
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF PROCEDURAL COMMENT DEADLINE
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Application do not show good cause requiring the suspension.We will reevaluatethe question of
suspension after reviewing comments submitted by interested parties.In the interim,we will
suspend the Company's proposed effective date of April 5,2019.
IPC-E-18-15 and IPC-E-18-16 are likely to share some common facts and interested
parties with this docket,however,there are also likely distinct issues and interests represented in
the different dockets.Further,IPC-E-18-15 and IPC-E-18-16 are months ahead of this docket and
parties to those dockets have expressed apprehension that progress there could be slowed or
derailed by the infusion of an additional set of concerns and parties.
Given the peculiar set of circumstances between IPC-E-18-15,IPC-E-18-16,and this
docket,we find it appropriate to initiate a two-week procedural comment period during which
interested parties may file comments in this docket advocating their position on how the
Company's Application should be processed in relation to IPC-E-18-15 and IPC-E-18-16,as
further specified below.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Company requests the Commission initiate
a collaborative process to examine the compensation structure,value of excess net energy,and
measurement interval under Schedule 84.The Company requests a timeline that allows for
implementation of the findings of the collaborative process by January 1,2020.See Application
at 9.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company states its concern that Schedule
84 customers are making investments in on-site generationbased on an assumption that retail net
metering rates will continue to prevail for Schedule 84.See Application at 5.The Company notes
that a value-based rate for excess net energy is currentlybeing discussed in IPC-E-18-15.Id at 5.
The Company asserts retail net metering has the potential to shift costs from net metering
customers to standard service customers.Id at 6.The Company also points out that using the
retail rate to compensate net metering customers creates a disparity between different customer
classes within Schedule 84 because each class is charged and receives different rates for energy.
Id at 6-7.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company states that from year-end 2018
through the end of March 2019,there has been a 114%increase in Schedule 84 net metering
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capacity,including pending applications.Id at 4.The Company states that the average size of
installation under Schedule 84 is roughly99 kW to comply with the 100 kW limit on an individual
meter.Id.at 6.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Application is available for public
inspection during regular business hours at the Commission offices.These documents are also
available on the Commission's web site at www.puc.idaho.cov.Click on the "File Room"tab at
the top of the page,then select "Electric Cases"and click on the case number as shown on the
front of this document.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all proceedings in this case will be held
pursuant to the Commission's jurisdictionunder Title 61 of the Idaho Code and specifically Idaho
Code §§61-502 and 61-503.
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.
NOTICE OF PROCEDURAL COMMENT DEADLINE
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that any person desiring to state a position on how
the Commission should process this Application may file a written comment with the
Commission by no later than two weeks followingthe service date of this Notice.
At this time,the Commission requests comments regarding only the procedure of this
case,specifically:
1)Whether and to what extent this Application impacts or is impacted by IPC-E-18-
15 and IPC-E-18-16.
2)Whether and to what extent the issues raised in IPC-E-18-15,IPC-E-18-16,and this
docket can and should be examined holistically.
3)Whether this docket should be processed according to Idaho Power's proposal on
page 8 of the Application.
4)Whether the Commission should process this docket by modified procedure or by
hearings.
5)Whether the Commission should suspend Schedule 84 for new applicants while
IPC-E-19-15 is being processed,and if the Commission does suspend Schedule 84
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NOTICE OF PROCEDURAL COMMENT DEADLINE
ORDERNO.34315 3
in the interim,whether the suspension should be from the date of filing-April 5,
2019-or some other date.
6)Whether the Company's proposed effective date of January 1,2020 in IPC-E-19-
15 is feasible.
The comment must contain a statement of reasons supporting the comment.Written comments
concerning this Application shall be submitted to the Commission and the Company at the
addresses reflected below:
For the Idaho Public Utilities For Idaho Power Company:
Commission
Lisa D.Nordstrom
Commission Secretary Timothy E.Tatum
Idaho Public Utilities Commission Connie Aschenbrenner
PO Box 83720 Energy Contracts
Boise,ID 83720-0074 Idaho Power Company
1221 West Idaho Street 83702
Street Address for Express Mail:P.O.Box 70
Boise,ID 83707-0070
472 W.Washington Street E-Mail:lnordstrom @idahopower.com
Boise,ID 83702-5918 ttatum@ idahopower.com
[e-mail]
dockets @idahopower.com
These comments should contain the case caption and case number shown on the first page of this
document.Persons may also submit comments via e-mail by accessing the Commission's home
page located at www.puc.idaho.gov.Click the "Consumers"tab then click the "Case Comment or
Question Form"and complete the comment form using the case number as it appears on the front
of this document.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that if no written comments or protests are received
within the time limit set,the Commission will nevertheless enter its Order on the procedural
aspects of this case.If written comments are received within the time limit set,the Commission
will consider them before issuing that Order.
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that,given the public interest in having adequate
time to comment on the procedural matters of this case,the Commission fmds it appropriate to
suspend the Company's proposed effective date of April 5,2019,for a period of 30 days plus 5
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ORDER NO.34315 4
months,unless the Commission issues an earlier Order accepting,rejecting,or modifying the
Company's proposed effective date or the Application as a whole.See Idaho Code §61-622(4).
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Persons interested in submitting written comments
on the procedure of this case,as more specifically defmed herein,must do so by no later than two
weeks followingthe service date of this Order.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise,Idaho this /f
day of April,2019.
PAUL K LLAND ,PRESIDENT
KRISTINE RAPER,COMM SIONER
ERIC ANDERSON,COMMISSIONER
Diane M.Hanian
Commission Secretary
I:\Legal\ELECTRIC\IPC-E-19-15\IPCE1915 nteapp_ej
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