20190607Decision Memo.pdf

DECISTON MEMORANDUM
TO:COMMISSIONER KJELLANIDER
COMMISSIONER RAPER
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON
COMMISSION SECRETARY
COMMISSION STAFF
LEGAL
FROM:DAYN HARDIE
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
DATE: JUNE 5,2019
SUBJECT:IDAHO POWER'S APPLICATION FOR AUTHORITY TO MODIFY
SCHEDULE 15, DUSK TO DAWN CUSTOMER LIGHTING, AND
SCHEDULE 41, STREET LIGHTING SERVICE, TO ALLOW FOR
LIGHT.EMITTING DIODE TECHNOLOGY, CASE NO. IPC.E.I9-17
On May 24,20l9,ldaho Power Company (the Company) filed an Application with the
Commission to: (l) modify its Schedules 15 and 47,to allow for complete transition to Company-
owned light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, and elimination of Company-owned high intensity
discharge (HID) lights in those Schedules, going forward effective October 1,2019, and (2) close
Schedule 4l Option "B"l (customer-owned, Company-maintained streetlight facilities) effective
September 30, 2023. The proposed modifications would not change customer rates in either
Schedule. The Company submits its Application under ldaho Code $ 6l-502 and RP 52. The
Company requests its Application be processed by modified procedure, and requests that proposed
tariff changes become effective on October 1,2019.
THE APPLICATION
The Company's proposed modifications are in response to changes in the lighting
fixture industry where manufactures are, and will foreseeably continue, producing more LED
fixtures and fewer HID fixtures. Application at 3. The Company states that the proposed changes
"provide significant advantages over traditional HID lighting options. [And] . . . use less energy,
reduce maintenance costs . and provide better lighting quality." Id at 3-4. The Company
' Option "8" of Schedule 4 I was closed to new members as of January | , 2012 and currently has 42 customers
receiving service. Application at 2. Option "B" Schedule 41 customers are primarily cities. ldat 3.
DECISION ME,MORANDUM I
estimates that if all Company-owned lighting facilities deployed under Schedules 15 and 4l Option
"A" (Company-owned, Company-maintained) are converted to LED, those changes alone would
result in 8,581 fewer megawatt-hours in annual energy consumption. Id at 4. In four (4) years,
once all Company-owned lighting facilities have transitioned to LED, approximately 25Yo per
year, the Company expects energy consumption attributed to these Schedules will decrease net
power supply expenses by $250,000 annually, which would flow back to the customer through the
Power Cost Adjustment. Id.
The proposed modifications include: (l) replacing all Company-owned HID lighting
fixtures with LED lighting fixtures, completely eliminating the opportunity for new Company-
owned HID installations as of October 1,2019, and (2) discontinuing Company maintenance of
customer-owned HID streetlight facilities by eliminating Option "B" of Schedule 41, effective
September 30,2023, and moving those customers to either Option "A" or Option "C" (customer-
owned, customer-maintained) of Schedul e 4l . Id at 4-5. The Company also proposes to eliminate
"Ornamental Lighting" from Schedule 41, which was closed in 1981 and has no remaining
customers. Id at 5.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Commission issue a Notice of Application and Notice of
Modified Procedure setting an August 21,2019 comment deadline and an August 28,2019 reply
deadline.
COMMISSTON DECISION
Does the Commission wish to issue a Notice of Application and Notice of Modified
Procedure with an August 21,2019 comment deadline and an August 28,2019 reply deadline?
Hardie
Deputy Attorney General
I:,Legal\ELECTzuCUPC-E- I 9- I 7\IPCE I 9 I 7_dec memo_dh
2DECISION MEMORANDUM