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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20211230Update.pdfLISA D. NORDSTROM Lead Counsel lnordstrom@idahopower.com December 30, 2021 VIA ELECTRONIC FILING Jan Noriyuki, Secretary Idaho Public Utilities Commission 11331 W. Chinden Blvd., Bldg 8, Suite 201-A (83714) PO Box 83720 Boise, Idaho 83720-0074 Re: Case No. IPC-E-21-17 In the Matter of Idaho Power Company’s Application for Authority to Increase Its Rate for Electric Service to Recover Costs Associated with the Jim Bridger Power Plant Dear Ms. Noriyuki: On November 17, 2021, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (“Commission”) issued Order No. 35222, suspending the procedural schedule and discovery in the above referenced case in response to a Joint Motion to Suspend Procedural Schedule (“Joint Motion”) filed October 1, 2021, by Idaho Power Company (“Idaho Power” or “Company”) and the Commission Staff (“Staff”). The Joint Motion detailed plant operator PacifiCorp’s efforts towards complying with the Clean Air Act Regional Haze Rules and the resulting Wyoming Regional Haze State Implementation Plan (“Wyoming SIP”) for Units 1 and 2, noting that discussions regarding compliance between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), Wyoming and PacifiCorp were ongoing. In addition, the Joint Motion noted that in its 2021 Integrated Resource Plan (“IRP”), PacifiCorp’s IRP preferred portfolio and Action Plan envision the cessation of coal-fired generation in Units 1 and 2 in 2023 with a natural gas conversion of those units in 2024. The Joint Motion requested the suspension of discovery and the procedural schedule until greater clarity concerning Bridger emission limits and possible gas conversion was achieved. Order No. 35222 suspended the procedural schedule and discovery until the Company files an update or request to set the procedural schedule once more information is known, but in no event later than December 31, 2021. Idaho Power is providing an update at this time. Similar to PacifiCorp’s 2021 IRP, on December 30, 2021, Idaho Power filed its 2021 IRP with a preferred portfolio that also identifies the cessation of coal-fired generation in Units 1 and 2 in 2023 with a natural gas conversion of those units in 2024. RECEIVED 2021 DEC 30 PM 1:19 IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION Jan Noriyuki December 30, 2021 Page 2 With respect to the Wyoming SIP, as of this date, the EPA has not formally acted on PacifiCorp’s proposed alternative regional haze compliance plan for Bridger Units 1 and 2, which otherwise would require emission controls to be in place for Unit 2 by December 31, 2021, and for Unit 1 by December 31, 2022. On December 27, 2021, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon issued a temporary emergency suspension, extending the compliance date of Unit 2 through April 30, 2022, while PacifiCorp awaits approval of the Wyoming SIP. The EPA continues to engage in discussions with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and PacifiCorp regarding options for regional haze compliance of Units 1 and 2. As a result of the ongoing discussions, and the potential for a near-term resolution of the issues, with this update Idaho Power requests the Commission continue the current schedule suspension. The Company commits to convene a conference with all parties to this case to discuss appropriate next steps, including the reopening of the procedural schedule, no later than April 30, 2022. Please do not hesitate to contact me at (208) 388-5825 if you have any questions. Very truly yours, Lisa D. Nordstrom LDN:sg CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE - 1 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I HEREBY CERTIFY that on the 30th day of December 2021, I served a true and correct copy of Idaho Power Company’s Status Update upon the following named parties by the method indicated below, and addressed to the following: Commission Staff Erick Shaner Deputy Attorney General Idaho Public Utilities Commission 11331 W. Chinden Blvd., Bldg No. 8, Suite 201-A (83714) PO Box 83720 Boise, ID 83720-0074 Hand Delivered U.S. Mail Overnight Mail FAX X Email: Erick.shaner@puc.idaho.gov _____ FTP Site Industrial Customer of Idaho Power Peter J. Richardson RICHARDSON ADAMS, PLLC 515 North 27th Street (83702) P.O. Box 7218 Boise, Idaho 83707 Hand Delivered U.S. Mail Overnight Mail FAX FTP Site X Email peter@richardsonadams.com Dr. Don Reading 6070 Hill Road Boise, Idaho 83703 Hand Delivered U.S. Mail Overnight Mail FAX X EMAIL dreading@mindspring.com FTP Site Idaho Conservation League Benjamin J. Otto Idaho Conservation League 710 N. 6th Street Boise, Idaho 83701 Hand Delivered U.S. Mail Overnight Mail FAX X EMAIL botto@idahoconservation.org FTP Site City of Boise Ed Jewell 150 N. Capitol Blvd. P.O. Box 500 Boise, Idaho 83701-0500 Hand Delivered U.S. Mail Overnight Mail FAX X EMAIL ejewell@cityofboise.org boiseCityAttorney@cityofboise.org FTP Site CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE - 2 Clean Energy Opportunities for Idaho, Inc. Kelsey Jae Law for Conscious Leadership 920 N. Clover Dr., Boise, Idaho 83703 Hand Delivered U.S. Mail Overnight Mail FAX X EMAIL kelsey@kelseyjae.com FTP Site Michael Heckler Courtney White Clean Energy Opportunities for Idaho 3778 Plantation River Drive, Suite 102 Boise, ID 83703 Hand Delivered U.S. Mail Overnight Mail FAX X EMAIL mike@cleanenergyopportunities.com courtney@cleanenergyopportunities.com FTP Site Sierra Club Rose Monahan Ana Boyd 2101 Webster Street, Suite 1300 Oakland, CA 94612 Hand Delivered U.S. Mail Overnight Mail FAX X EMAIL rose.monahan@sierraclub.org ana.boyd@sierraclub.org FTP Site Micron Technology, Inc. Austin Rueschhoff Thorvald A. Nelson Austin W. Jensen Holland & Hart LLP 555 17th Street, Suite 3200 Denver, CO 80202 Hand Delivered U.S. Mail Overnight Mail FAX X EMAIL darueschhoff@hollandhart.com tnelson@hollandhart.com awjensen@hollandhart.com aclee@hollandhart.com glgarganoamari@hollandhart.com FTP Site Micron Technology, Inc. Jim Swier 8000 S. Federal Way Boise, ID 83707 Hand Delivered U.S. Mail Overnight Mail FAX X EMAIL jswier@micron.com ________________________________ Stacy Gust, Regulatory Administrative Assistant