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Home My WebLink About20190418notice_of_application_order_no_34315.pdfOffice 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 ORDER NO.34315 1 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 NOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF PROCEDURAL COMMENT DEADLINE ORDER NO.34315 2 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 NOTICE OF APPLICATION 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 caschenbrenner@idahopower.com 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 NOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF PROCEDURAL COMMENT DEADLINE 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 NOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF PROCEDURAL COMMENT DEADLINE ORDER NO.34315 5