20201022Comments(7).pdf

From:PUC Consumer Comments
To:Jan Noriyuki
Subject:Notice: A comment was submitted to PUCWeb
Date:Thursday, October 22, 2020 7:00:05 AM
The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Jody Mahnken
Submission Time: Oct 21 2020 9:04PMEmail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: 4140 Oxbow Way
Boise, ID 83713
Name of Utility Company: Idaho Power
Case ID: IPC-E-20-26
Comment: " Solar power is a win win for farmers and ranchers. Farmers deserve a fair andassessable solar program to help meet their energy needs, stabilize their energy costs, and
build resilience. Irrigation costs are one of the most expensive for farmers. They use solarpower and sell the excess for net metering to Idaho Power. Now Idaho Power is trying to stifle
the current net metering program by preventing any other ranchers or farmers from signing upafter Dec. 1,2020. Idaho Power hasn't created any replacement program. Require Idaho Power
to establish new and fair export rates before closing the window on its current program. Netmetering is for individuals who want to invest their own money in their own farm. We need to
protect a farmer’s right to control their own power bills with home-grown energy. Currently,farms and businesses can only install up to 100 kilowatts of solar per meter. Many business
and irrigation pumps require much more power than that. This arbitrary 100 kilowatt capmeans a business or farmer cannot offset all of their own needs and must then buy from Idaho
Power. Allow farmers the freedom to invest in a solar system that’s large enough to meet theirenergy needs. Idaho Power proposes to move existing systems under the current net metering
program into a legacy treatment for 10 years. But the Idaho Public Utilities Commission justtold Idaho Power to use legacy treatment of residential net-metering for 25 years, which is a
much more reasonable timeline given that solar is a 25+ year investment. Pass fair rules thattreat farmers the same as everyone else and value their hard-earned investments. Please
encourage farmers, ranchers and home owners to move to solar power to improve ourenvironment and move away from dirty coal plants. Give farmers and ranchers the opportunity
to sell back through net metering to Idaho Power at a fair rate. Eliminate caps on kilowatt sizeand allow a full 25 years on their investment,since they have purchased solar panels to
improve their farms, ranches and homes. Allow this wonderful solar resource to grow inIdaho. Thank you for listening "
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From:PUC Consumer Comments
To:Jan Noriyuki
Subject:Notice: A comment was submitted to PUCWeb
Date:Wednesday, October 21, 2020 10:00:04 AM
The following comments were submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Stanford McConnehey
Submission Time: Oct 21 2020 9:01AMEmail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: 5736 N Collister Dr.
Boise, ID 83703
Name of Utility Company: Idaho Power
Case ID: IPC-E-20-26
Comment: "I urge you to reject the attempts by Idaho Power to change net-metering rates. This is nothing more than simple money-grubbing for the sake of the giant corporate
shareholders of their parent company, Idacorp. All efforts should be taken to keep solar-energy accessible for individuals and small group. Fair export-credit rates make this possible.
"
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Name: Sandra ShermanSubmission Time: Oct 21 2020 9:13AM
Email: [e-mail]: 310-722-7393
Address: 10315 W Whispering Cliffs DrBoise, ID 83704
Name of Utility Company: Idaho Power
Case ID: IPC-E-20-26
Comment: "Farmers need solar for their farms! Farmers are already struggling in this country
and we need to support them any way we can. Especially when it can help the environment. "
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Name: Sydney SchildnechtSubmission Time: Oct 21 2020 9:26AMEmail: [e-mail]: 203-940-3640Address: 921 N 8th StCoeur d Alene, ID 83814
Name of Utility Company: Idaho Power
Case ID: IPC-E-20-26
Comment: "The proposal to change the net metering program at Idaho Power is disgraceful to our state's farmers, who deserve to have the choice to go solar and be more self-sufficient and independent, at a scale that serves their business. Energy input to run irrigation systems is a huge expense in an industry with ever-diminishing margins. Individual solar systems are important for individual farmers but have no meaningful impact on Idaho Power’s total system. By creating uncertainty in the marketplace, Idaho Power makes it nearly impossible for any farmer to make the financial decision to invest in solar, and drives solar jobs and businesses out of the state, like we’ve seen with the residential program. This proposed change and the public comment period are also happening during fall harvest. Please extend the comment period to demonstrate Idaho's commitment to its farmers. As it stands, you are first threatening to take away an existing choice that is both financially and environmentally sustainable, and then doing so when farmers are too busy feeding our state and our nation to speak up about it. It's undemocratic. Know that any choice to lower export credit rates will result in action from your constituents. Please consider putting action behind your stated support of Idaho farmers by allowing more than 100 kilowatts of solar systems to be allowed per meter to truly allow to access the benefits of solar. Additionally, please do not move this system into legacy after 10 years; follow the action you just enacted for the residential solar system at 25 years."
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Name: Linda MaguireSubmission Time: Oct 21 2020 9:53AMEmail: [e-mail]: 208-398-8002Address: 2695 Mesa AvenueEmmett, ID 83617
Name of Utility Company: Idaho Power
Case ID: IPC-E-20-26
Comment: "Too many farmers want solar energy to irrigate. Really? They are moving too fast. Really? Will someone please tell Idaho Power that an impending climate disaster is also moving pretty rapidly. There case for slowing solar development is without merit in my opinion."------
From:PUC Consumer Comments
To:Jan Noriyuki
Subject:Notice: A comment was submitted to PUCWeb
Date:Thursday, October 22, 2020 1:00:04 PM
The following comments were submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Thomas Rogers
Submission Time: Oct 22 2020 12:28PMEmail: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: North Longridge Place
Eagle, ID 83616-6626
Name of Utility Company: Idaho Power Company
Case ID: IPC-E-18-15
Comment: "To Whom it may concern, Idaho Power is proposing a cutoff date of December 1, 2020 for solar-owners to lock-in the current net metering program, so anyone who wants to go
solar after that date will essentially be asked to “wait and see” as the utility goes through the process of developing a new program with different export credits. By creating uncertainty in
the marketplace, Idaho Power makes it nearly impossible for any farmer to make the financial decision to invest in solar, and drives solar jobs and businesses out of the state, like we’ve
seen with the residential program. I want to speak up to require Idaho Power to establish new and fair export rates before closing the window on its current program. This proposed change
and the public comment period are also happening during fall harvest. I want to speak up to ask for an extended public comment period beyond the fall harvest season, when farmers can
more meaningfully engage in the process. What other changes could follow from this? While Idaho Power does not propose to change what they pay for customers’ excess solar energy
now, they are laying a foundation to try and slash that rate in the future, as we saw with their residential program. This local power is very valuable because it supports your neighbors and
community instead of relying on long-distance power lines and far-flung power plants. I want to speak up to ensure Idaho Power maintains fair export credit rates and accurately values the
extra power customer-solar provides. What other changes would support farmer-owned solar?Currently, farms and businesses can only install up to 100 kilowatts of solar per meter. Many
business and irrigation pumps require much more power than that. This arbitrary 100 kilowatt cap means a business or farmer cannot offset all of their own needs and must then buy from
Idaho Power. I want to speak up to give farmers the freedom to invest in a solar system that’s large enough to meet their energy needs. How does this change impact farmers who already
have solar? Idaho Power proposes to move existing systems under the current net metering program into a legacy treatment for 10 years. But the Idaho Public Utilities Commission just
informed Idaho Power to use legacy treatment of residential net-metering for 25 years, which is a much more reasonable timeline given that solar is a 25+ year investment. I look forward to
you acknowledgement of my message and that you consider options to insur"
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Name: Michael RoweSubmission Time: Oct 22 2020 12:07PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]Address: 620 S 8th Ave
Pocatello, ID 83201
Name of Utility Company: Idaho Power
Case ID: IPC-E-20-26
Comment: "I am writing in opposition to Idaho Power’s request to change net-metering compensation as if applies to farmers. Last year we spent a significant amount of money
installing solar panels on our house with the understanding that Idaho Power would be compensating us for excess electricity produced. We understand it is a long term investment
and installing solar panels means of course that we have helped do our part for renewable energy. This reasoning is no different than farmers in Idaho that have invested in solar. It is my
understanding that Idaho Power has no plan after the 1 December 2020 cutoff date for the current solar net metering program. It is difficult for anyone to plan ahead let alone make a
significant investment in solar without seeing Idaho Power’s proposed plan for future net metering. Idaho Power should produce their plan before suggesting a cutoff date. Oh, and why
can farms only install up to 100 kw of solar per meter? This seems arbitrary. Let farmers install systems that are big enough to meet their needs. Why is the legacy treatment issue different for
farmers compared to residential? As investment in solar is long term, it seems that farmers should be treated more like residential with a legacy treatment of net-metering of 25 years. If
Idaho Power is serious about renewable energy they would not be looking at such net metering/rate changes for farmers. I would think they would be encouraging everyone to switch to solar
if they were truly serious about moving completely to renewable energy. As Idaho Power is a monopoly, loyal customers who have switched to solar really don’t have any other options. I
trust the PUC to oversee Idaho Power to help all of us as we strive to make our communities and state more energy independent. "
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