20211220Comments.pdf

COMMENTS OF COX COMMUNICATIONS – Page 1
C. Tom Arkoosh, ISB No. 2253ARKOOSH LAW OFFICES913 W. River Street, Suite 450P.O. Box 2900Boise, ID 83701Telephone: [phone]Facsimile: [phone]Email: [e-mail] Copy: [e-mail]
Attorneys for Cox Communications
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
COMMENTS OF COX COMMUNICATIONS
COMES NOW Cox Communications (“Cox”), by and through its counsel of record,
C.Tom Arkoosh of Arkoosh Law Offices, and hereby submits the following comments pursuant
to the Notice of Modified Procedure/Order No. 35244, filed November 30, 2021:
The State of Idaho has granted to Intervenor Cox, and Cox now holds, the franchise
authority as a system operator to provide cable service in the Sun Valley, Ketchum, Hailey, and
Bellevue, Idaho service areas, as well as parts of unincorporated Blaine County. Cox uses Idaho
Power’s existing poles to support high-capacity fiber optic and coaxial cabling that delivers cable
television, telephone, Internet connectivity, cellular connectivity, Emergency 911, and other
important telecommunications services to Blaine County’s residential, business, and government
communities located in the northern portion of Blaine County. Currently, Cox has equipment
attached to Idaho Power lines that will be replaced in the proposal pending before the
Commission. In this Docket, Cox wishes to obtain the Commission’s assurance that the structure
RECEIVED
2021 DEC 20 PM 2:59
IDAHO PUBLIC
UTILITIES COMMISSION
COMMENTS OF COX COMMUNICATIONS – Page 2
of Idaho Power’s new project provides space and access to attach Cox’s equipment that is
displaced by Idaho Power’s proposal.
One specific portion of the routing concerned the Blaine County Commission in its
determination of the conditional use permit granted Idaho Power. Idaho Power’s current
Application in this matter seeks approval of the “Owl Rock Road Route.” Application, p. 16-17;
p. 28, Request for Relief. That route was as approved by the Blaine County Board of County
Commissioners as set out in the Findings of Fact, Conclusion of Law and Decision, March 15,
2021 (“Final CUP”). Application, p. 17. For reference, Idaho Power has attached a copy of the
Final CUP to the Adelman Direct Testimony as Exhibit No. 2.
The Final CUP which the Application propounds to this Commission requires at page 13,
paragraph 18: “Cox Communication shall have access to lease for a single communications wire
only on the above ground transmission line, including raising up to 19 poles to match heights and
locations described in Exhibit C2.”
A copy of Exhibit C2 to the Final CUP for the Owl Rock Road Route which the
Application seeks approval is attached hereto. As provided in Exhibit C2 to the Final CUP, Cox
has access to the new poles, including requiring poles to be heightened from Idaho Power’s
original design to accommodate Cox’s communication wire.
It bears relating that if through some slippage Cox cannot run its equipment on the new
project, Cox would incur extra expenses for which Cox would seek reimbursement. This would
be a needless and unnecessary expense that hopefully will be avoided.
REQUESTED RELIEF
Although Cox understands from Idaho Power the current design of the proposed project
does have room for Cox’s attachments, Cox wishes to assure that the Commission specifically
COMMENTS OF COX COMMUNICATIONS – Page 3
orders the same in its final order in this matter to assuage any future challenge. This is especially
so in light of Idaho Power’s request pursuant to Idaho Code §67-6528 that the Commission’s
final order in this matter is in fact the final regulatory determination concerning land use by the
proposed transmission line. There appears to be much third-party contention regarding the Idaho
Power transmission line and the granted Final CUP that the Commission’s final order will put to
rest.
DATED this 20th day of December 2021.
ARKOOSH LAW OFFICES
_______________________________
C. Tom ArkooshAttorney for Cox Communications
COMMENTS OF COX COMMUNICATIONS – Page 4
CERTIFICATE OF MAILING
I HEREBY CERTIFY that on the 20th day of December 2021, I served a true and correct
copy of the foregoing document(s) upon the following person(s), in the manner indicated:
Commission Secretary Idaho Public Utilities Commission 472 W. Washington Boise, ID 83702
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-mail:
[e-mail]
Commission Staff:
John Hammond, Jr.
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
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nd Delivered
-mail:[e-mail]
Idaho Power Company:
Donovan E. Walker
Idaho Power Company PO Box 70 Boise, ID 83707
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-mail:[e-mail]
Idaho Power Company PO Box 70 Boise, ID 83707
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-mail:
@idahopower.com
Blaine County Board of County Commissioners:
Ronald L. Williams Williams Bradbury, P.C. P.O. Box 388
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acsimile -mail:williamsbradbury.com
COMMENTS OF COX COMMUNICATIONS – Page 5

Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
219 First Avenue South, Suite 201
Hailey, ID 83333 ___ X__
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csimile -mail: [e-mail]
MW Analytics, Energy & Utilities
Electronic Copies Only
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Delivered ia Facsimile -mail:
[e-mail]
Kiki Leslie A. Tidwell: Kiki Leslie A. Tedwell
704 N. River Street, #1
Hailey, ID 83333

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_________________________________ C. Tom Arkoosh
ATTACHMENT 1
ATTACHMENT 1

1
Tina Lewis
From:Allison Marks
Sent:Tuesday, January 5, 2021 4:25 PM
To:Tina Lewis
Subject:FW: Cox above ground web posting request
Attachments:Communication cable summary.pdf
Tina0 Please post as C-2 Communications cable summary received 1.5.2021

From: Barber, Tom <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 5, 2021 4:02 PM
To: Tom Bergin <[e-mail]>; Allison Marks <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: Cox above ground web posting request

From: Barber, Tom
Sent: Tuesday, January 5, 2021 3:41 PM
To: 'Tom Bergin' <[e-mail]>; Allison Marks <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: Cox above ground web posting request

Allison, I asked HDR do perform a study to determine if any pole heights would have to increase with Cox Cable
attached. I have attached the study summary page, as well as the Plan and Profile drawings that show which poles had
to increase in height.

Basically, 19 poles had to be increased in height to accommodate a communication cable.

Thanks.

Tom Barber, P.E.
Idaho Power | Project Management
1221 W. Idaho St, Boise, ID 83702
ph 208-388-5667
cell 208-869-5997

From: Tom Bergin <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 5, 2021 12:14 PM
To: Allison Marks <[e-mail]>; Barber, Tom <[e-mail]>
Cc: Cherp, Guy (CCI-Central Region) <[e-mail]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL]RE: Cox above ground web posting request

KEEP IDAHO POWER SECURE! External emails may request information or contain malicious links or attachments. Verify
the sender before proceeding, and check for additional warning messages below.
To All,

2
If it is of any assistance, the materials that the county has that are available to all including the public can be found at:

https://www.co.blaine.id.us/707/7087/Idaho-Power-138kV-Transmission-Line-
Mate?activeLiveTab=widgets#liveEditTab_versionsList

Once we receive a design that includes a communications underline, we will post that as well. Tom

From: Allison Marks
Sent: Tuesday, January 5, 2021 11:30 AM
To: Barber, Tom <[e-mail]>
Cc: Tom Bergin <[e-mail]>; Cherp, Guy (CCI-Central Region) <[e-mail]>
Subject: Cox above ground web posting request

Tom and Guy,

I do not see any structural drawings submitted with this CUP Modification of the transmission line, without the
distribution, that includes the communication line. I think it would be best if Guy works directly with Idaho
Power to get information he needs regarding structural specifics above and below underground.

What we do have is a drawing of existing conditions in regards to the current distribution line.

Allison
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material in its entirety, whether in electronic or hard copy format. Thank you.
 Wood River to Ketchum Design Report 
HDR Engineering 
Design Engineer: Daniel Wiggs 
This report regards the section of transmission line from the Wood River Sub to Hospital Drive, between 
Hailey and Ketchum, Idaho. Communication wire has been strung from structure ten (10) to structure 
one‐hundred‐sixty‐five (165). This section, between these two ending structures, parallels Buttercup Rd 
and Highway 75.  
It was requested that communication wire be strung from structure 10 to structure 165. To complete 
this task, two main design alterations were of necessity. The communication wire was placed at the 
minimum distance of 5’‐ 9” below the 138kV phasing, on each pole. The minimum communication to 
ground clearance of 15’ 6” was applied. Accordingly, the minimum communication to ground clearance 
over a roadway, 18’‐0”, was also utilized within this design. Despite these design alterations, there were 
sections of line that did not meet this minimum 15.5’ or 18’ NESC clearance. The associated structures 
that are required to be heightened for the addition of communication wire are listed in the table below. 
STRUCTURE # WITHOUT COMM AGH  WITH COMM AGH 
21 50’ 60’ 
22 45’ 60’ 
26 34’ 38.5’ 
27 34’ 38.5’ 
44 38.5’ 43’ 
47 38.5’ 43’ 
63 38.5’ 43’ 
64 34’ 38.5’ 
67 34’ 38.5’ 
69 34’ 38.5’ 
71 38.5’ 43’ 
72 34’ 38.5’ 
77 34’ 38.5’ 
81 34’ 38.5’ 
84 34’ 38.5’ 
98 45’ 50’ 
99 38.5’ 43’ 
115 34’ 38.5’ 
162 38.5’ 43’ 

To achieve the addition of the communication wire to this transmission line, the above structures would 
need to be increased to their “With Comm AGH,” in order to meet NESC minimum clearance 
requirements.