20230310Notice_of_Application_Order_No_35701.pdf

NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35701 1
Office of the Secretary
Service Date
March 10, 2023
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF IDAHO POWER
COMPANY’S APPLICATION FOR A
CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE
AND NECESSITY TO ACQUIRE
RESOURCES TO BE ONLINE BY 2024 AND
FOR APPROVAL OF A POWER PURCHASE
AGREEMENT WITH FRANKLIN SOLAR
LLC
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CASE NO. IPC-E-23-05

NOTICE OF APPLICATION

NOTICE OF
INTERVENTION DEADLINE

ORDER NO. 35701

On February 17, 2023, Idaho Power Company (“Company”) filed an application
(“Application”) with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (“Commission”) requesting an order:
(1) granting the Company a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (“CPCN”) to acquire
72 megawatts (“MW”) of dispatchable energy storage to meet an identified capacity deficiency in
2024; and (2) approving the 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (“PPA”) between Idaho Power
and Franklin Solar LLC (“Franklin Solar”).
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Company represents that to fill its 2024 capacity
deficiency, the Company conducted solicitation through a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) process
seeking to acquire energy and capacity to help meet the Company’s previously identified capacity
needs of 85 MW to be online by June of 2024, and an incremental 115 MW in 2025. Application
at 5.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company represents that the RFP process
resulted in the selection of a 100 MW solar photovoltaic (“PV”) facility, an Idaho Power-owned
60 MW energy storage project, and an Idaho Power-owned 12 MW energy storage project. Id.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company represents that the 100 MW solar PV
facility plus 60 MW energy storage project consists of a 25-year PPA for a 100 MW solar PV
facility that supplies energy to the Company’s system combined with an Idaho Power-owned 60
MW battery storage facility. Id. at 6.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company represents that on January 20, 2023,
Idaho Power and Franklin Solar entered into a PPA to construct, own, operate and maintain a 100
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35701 2
MW solar PV facility located in Twin Falls County, Idaho, supplying the output to the Company’s
system for the period of 25 years from a commercial operation date of June 1, 2024. Id.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company represents that Concurrent with
execution of the PPA, on January 20, 2023, the Company executed a Build Transfer Agreement
with Duke Energy Renewables Solar, LLC (“Duke Energy Solar”), a subsidiary of Duke Energy
Renewables, LLC, for the purchase of a Battery Energy Storage System (“BESS”), co-located with
the Franklin Solar 100 MW solar PV facility in Twin Falls County, Idaho, providing for a
minimum capacity of 60 MW. Id. at 9.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company represents that it can economically
and efficiently add 12 MW of battery storage at the Hemingway substation, the site for which 80
MW of battery storage is being installed to meet the 2023 capacity deficiency, without requiring
infrastructure upgrades and ensuring maximum Investment Tax Credits (“ITC”) benefits. The
Company states that it intends on adding the 12 MW BESS to the contract executed with Powin
Energy Corporation on February 28, 2022, the contract in place for the 2023 energy storage
resources, through a change order. Or, in the alternative, use a different supplier the Company has
available. Id. at 10.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company is not requesting binding ratemaking
treatment in this case. The Company requests that the Commission find it has met the requirements
of Idaho Code § 61-526, and for the Commission to issue an order granting a CPCN to acquire 72
MW of energy storage necessary to meet the identified capacity deficiency in 2024. Id. at 11-12.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company represents that it intends to finance
the 72 MW of energy storage with a combination of available cash and operating cash flow,
available facilities and borrowing and debt issuances, and potential future equity issuances by its
parent entity, IDACORP. Id. at 14.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Application and supporting documentation
have been filed with the Commission and are available for public inspection during regular
business hours at the Commission’s office. These documents are also available on the
Commission’s website 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 the Commission has jurisdiction over the
Company, its filing, and the issues pertaining to this case pursuant to Title 61 of the Idaho Code.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35701 3
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 71-73, IDAPA 31.01.01.072-073. Persons who
wish to intervene as a party must file a Petition to Intervene no later than 21 days after the
date of service 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.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that once the Notice of Parties is issued, Commission
Staff (“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 persons are designated as the
Company’s representatives in this matter:
Donovan Walker
Lead Counsel
Idaho Power Company
1221 West Idaho Street (83702)
P.O. Box 70
Boise, Idaho 83707
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
Tim Tatum
Vice President, Regulatory Affairs
Idaho Power Company
1221 West Idaho Street (83702)
P.O. Box 70
Boise, Idaho 83707
[e-mail]

ORDER
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 71-73, IDAPA 31.01.01.071-073, no later than 21 days after 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. 35701 4
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that parties comply with Order No. 35375, issued April 21,
2022. Generally, all pleadings should be filed with the Commission electronically and will be
deemed timely filed when received by the Commission Secretary. See Rule 14.02. Service between
parties should continue to be accomplished electronically when possible. However, 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 10th day of
March 2023.

ERIC ANDERSON, PRESIDENT

JOHN R. HAMMOND JR., COMMISSIONER

_________________________________________
EDWARD LODGE, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Jan Noriyuki
Commission Secretary

I:\Legal\ELECTRIC\IPC-E-23-05 FranklinSolar\orders\IPCE2305_Ntc_App_Int_cb.docx