20211012Notice_of_Application_Order_No_35194.pdf

NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35194 1
Office of the Secretary
Service Date
October 12, 2021
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF IDAHO POWER
COMPANY’S PETITION FOR APPROVAL
OF A CUSTOMER SURCHARGE AND
MODIFIED LINE ROUTE
CONFIGURATION FOR CONSTRUCTION
OF A NEW 138 kV TRANSMISSION LINE IN
THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY

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CASE NO. IPC-E-21-25

NOTICE OF APPLICATION

NOTICE OF
INTERVENTION DEADLINE

ORDER NO. 35194

On August 6, 2021, Idaho Power Company (“Company”) petitioned the Commission
for an order: 1) approving a proposed surcharge for the Company’s customers in Blaine County to
pay for additional undergrounding of a previously approved transmission line; 2) approving the
modifications to the line route previously approved in the Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity (“CPCN”) granted to the Company in Order No. 33872; and (3) finding that the
Commission’s findings and directives from the CPCN, Order No. 33872, as well as the order
requested in this case, carries with it the express authority over any action or order of other
government agencies or local governments that are in conflict with such orders of the Commission
pursuant to Idaho Code § 67-6528. In support of the Petition, the Company filed the direct
testimony of Ryan Adelman, Vice President of Power Supply, regarding the Company’s local
permitting activities with Blaine County, Idaho, as well as the proposed line route and
configuration; and the direct testimony of Timothy Tatum, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs,
regarding the proposed surcharge amounts and calculation method. The Company has requested
that its Petition be processed by Modified Procedure.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Company asserts northern Blaine County
(“North County” or “North Valley”), including the cities of Ketchum and Sun Valley, is currently
served by a single power source: the Company’s Wood River-Elkhorn-Ketchum 138 kilovolt
(“kV”) transmission line (“Existing Transmission Line”). The Company further alleges that the
previously approved1 construction of a new 138 kV transmission line and related facilities, which

1 In Order No. 33872 the Commission granted the Company the requested CPCN for a second 138 kV transmission
line.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35194 2
will provide redundant service from the Wood River substation near Hailey into the Ketchum
substation (“New Transmission Line”), would add an important second power source to the North
County.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company contends that without the New
Transmission Line, a prolonged power outage on the Existing Transmission Line could have a
devastating impact on the North County. The Company represents that in addition to its reliability
benefits, the New Transmission Line would also allow the Company to de-energize the Existing
Transmission Line to make necessary repairs and upgrades to that line safely and efficiently. The
Company asserts these concerns demonstrate the urgency expressed in its Petition.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company represents the proposed modified
line route and build configuration for the New Transmission Line, along with the proposed
surcharge mechanism described in this Petition, represents more than a decade of planning and
collaboration with the residents of Blaine County. The Company asserts that approval of the
Petition will serve the public interest and support the Company’s efforts to provide safe, reliable,
and fair-priced electric service to its customers.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company also petitions the Commission to
authorize changes to the line route and configuration for the New Transmission Line that differ
from the route and configuration approved in Order No. 33872.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company requests that the Commission
approve a proposed surcharge for the Company’s customers in Blaine County to pay for additional
undergrounding of the New Transmission Line approved by Order No. 33872. The Company
estimates monthly fixed charges of $3.42 for Residential and Small General Service customers in
Blaine County and $14.36 for Non-Residential (large commercial, industrial, and irrigation)
customers in Blaine County. Attachment 1 to the Petition is the proposed Schedule 96, Blaine
County Surcharge to Fund the Undergrounding of Certain Facilities (“Schedule 96”), which
provides the surcharge amounts for Blaine County customers on each applicable retail tariff
schedule.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company also seeks issuance of an
accounting order authorizing the Company to depreciate the incremental capital costs of the 20-
year surcharge period and match the annual depreciation expense with the actual annual principal
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35194 3
payment of the incremental capital so that the incremental costs are fully depreciated over the same
period.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company requests the Commission make
express findings that its directives to the Company pursuant to the CPCN granted by Order No.
33872, and pursuant to the requests in the Petition, to construct a New Transmission Line as being
necessary and in the public interest in order to provide adequate and reliable electric service to the
North Valley and to promote public health, safety, and convenience, carries with it the express
authority over any action or order of other government agencies or local governments that are in
conflict with such orders of the Commission pursuant to Idaho Code § 67-6528.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Application, attachments, and testimony
are available for public inspection during regular business hours at the Commission’s office. These
documents are also available on the Commission’s web site at www.puc.idaho.gov. Click on the
“ELECTRIC” icon, select “Open 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 jurisdiction under Title 61 of the Idaho Code.
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 INTERVENTION DEADLINE
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that persons desiring to intervene in this matter to
obtain parties’ rights of participation must file a Petition to Intervene with the Commission
pursuant to this Commission’s Rules of Procedure 72 and 73, IDAPA 31.01.01.072 and .073.
Persons who wish to intervene as a party must file a Petition to Intervene no later than 21
days from the service date of this Order. Persons desiring to present their views without parties’
rights of participation do not have to intervene and may present their comments without prior
notification to the Commission or the parties.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission Secretary shall issue a Notice
of Parties after the deadline for intervention has passed. The Notice of Parties shall assign exhibit
numbers to each party in this proceeding.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35194 4
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that once the Notice of Parties is issued,
Commission Staff will informally confer with the parties to discuss a schedule to process this case
and other issues as may be raised by the parties.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the following people are designated as the
Company’s representatives in this matter:
Donovan E. Walker
Idaho Power Company
1221 West Idaho Street (83702)
P.O. Box 70
Boise, Idaho 83707
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
Timothy E. Tatum
Idaho Power Company
1221 West Idaho Street (83702)
P.O. Box 70
Boise, Idaho 83707
[e-mail]

YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all hearings and prehearing conferences in this
matter will be held in facilities meeting the accessibility requirements of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (“ADA”). Persons needing the help of a sign language interpreter or other
assistance to participate in or to understand testimony and argument at a public hearing may ask
the Commission to provide a sign language interpreter or other assistance at the hearing. The
request for assistance must be received at least five working days before the hearing by contacting
the Commission Secretary at:
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PO BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0074
[phone] (Telephone)
[phone] (FAX)
[e-mail]

O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that persons desiring to intervene in this case for the
purpose of obtaining parties’ rights of participation must file a Petition to Intervene with the
Commission, under Rules 72 and 73, IDAPA 31.01.01.72-73, no later than 21 days from the
service date of this Order.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, after the Secretary issues a Notice of Parties, Staff
will informally confer with the parties to discuss the appropriate scheduling of this case.

NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35194 5
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that parties should continue to comply with Order No.
35058, issued June 3, 2021. All pleadings should be filed with the Commission electronically and
shall be deemed timely filed when received by the Commission Secretary. See Rule 14.02. Service
between parties should also be accomplished electronically. Voluminous discovery-related
documents may be filed and served on CD-ROM or a USB flash drive.
DONE by order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 12th day
of October 2021.

PAUL KJELLANDER, PRESIDENT

KRISTINE RAPER, COMMISSIONER

ERIC ANDERSON, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Jan Noriyuki
Commission Secretary

I:\Legal\ELECTRIC\IPC-E-21-25 Wood River Valley\orders\IPCE2125_NtcApp_jh.docx