20230712Comments_7.pdf

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The following comment was submited via PUCWeb:

Name: JAMES ROBERTS
Submission Time: Jul 12 2023 1:57AM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 10380 SCOTCH PINES ROAD
PAYETTE, ID 83661-5392

Name of U�lity Company: Idaho Power

Case ID: IPC-E-23-14

Comment: "Comment: While previously living in California, I was under the “Power Thumb” of Pacific
Gas & Electric and its 4 �er system of overcharging for electricity, (one of the worst in the na�on).
SO, I purchased a 46 panel solar power genera�ng system and never had a monthly electric power bill
again. On the contrary, I was sent a sizable check from PG&E every January for all the excess power
I generated for them for each year!

When I moved to Idaho 13 years ago, I had the impression that the Idaho Power Company had a litle
more commonsense and fairness compared to California’s PG&E Company because the Idaho
Power Company had a single �er consumer friendly rate structure with reasonable rates.

Now, the Idaho Power Company; #1) even though their hydroelectric plants are running at full capacity,
they demand a double digit percent increase in their rates to a premium price; and #2) they also want to
screw their solar customers who help the company during peak summer hours by providing the
company with excess solar power generated from their private solar genera�ng systems which the
company would sell at their new premium rates.

January 2020 I purchased the “All Electric” home at 10380 Scotch Pines Road. The previous owners
stated that their electric power bill usually ran about $400 to $600 a month. As such, I researched the
feasibility of installing a solar electric genera�ng system. I looked into the cost, tax credit, and the excess
electricity genera�on reimbursement rate before I purchased a $60,000, 50 panel solar genera�ng
system. I was told that I would receive no cash reimbursement, but would receive power bill credits for
my excess solar generated electricity and I could use those credits when my system was not genera�ng
electricity. No one told me that Idaho Power had an “escape clause” that would enable them to almost
eliminate their credit to me for selling them my excess solar generated power during the peak months!
This is absolutely worse than any “flimflam” that California’s PG&E ever tried. As I stated, Idaho
Power does not pay any cash for my excess solar generated power and now they want to almost totally
eliminate any value to the credit they allow for my excess solar generated power!
As president Biden would say, ( COME ON, MAN! ). Please stop this madness!

Think about it. Idaho Power wants to obtain and sell my excess solar generated electricity at a premium
price and then during that same 24 hour period, (when the sun goes down), they want to sell electricity
back to me at their same premium price with very litle credit for my excess solar generated electricity to
offset their premium price.

Thank you,
2

James L. Roberts

James L. Roberts, M.S., C.L.S."
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The following comment was submited via PUCWeb:

Name: Robert Parker
Submission Time: Jul 12 2023 9:42AM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 25518 Kingsbury Road
Middleton, ID 83644

Name of U�lity Company: Idaho Power

Case ID: IPC-E-23-14

Comment: "In regards to Idaho Power's request to RADICALLY alter the payment structure for personal
solar produc�on I guess I'd have to ask WHY they want to do so.

While I'm grandfathered in with my 1-to-1 rates, I'm VERY concerned that Idaho Power is, by design,
going to effec�vely KILL the market for personal solar produc�on. This benefits them but NOT society as
a whole. In other words, Idaho Power is doing what monopolies do: crushing the compe��on.

This, in turn, begs the ques�on of exactly who does the PUC serve? One big monopoly or society?

WHY would the PUC approve such an extreme change?
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The following comments were submited via PUCWeb:

Name: Seth Blockoff
Submission Time: Jul 12 2023 10:00AM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 2120 W. Cataldo Dr.
Boise, ID 83705

Name of U�lity Company: Idaho power

Case ID: IPC-E-23-14

3

Comment: "I began proceedings to install a solar roof on my house in mid April when we discovered how
prohibi�vely expensive a new roof is. For my household and our lifestyle we decided it was best to invest
in solar, this came with the side benefit for the community and for the environment. Idaho power has
stated clean energy produc�on by 2045, and my house will be a part of that. The solar decision allowed
us to get a low interest loan that we could financially afford since every roof loan without solar had
much, much higher interest rates. Adding solar was a sound investment despite the higher monthly and
final cost. It should take my panels about 25 years to break even on my costs vs. expected power bills
based on everything I knew before the proposed changes emailed to me on May 19th.

Now seeing the proposed changes to how I will be credited for my solar plan now makes all the decisions
I've made for the past 4 months or so a complete moot point. It seems, especially since my solar will be
installed on 7/18/23 that I have made not only a poor decision but will need to wait un�l next summer
to even have a chance to catch up on my power credit if my solar system is even big enough now, which
it likely isn't with the proposed changes. These will probably s�ll have a chunk of my power bill le� to
pay and on top of an added loan for us to contend with.

All of this seems like it is poised to happen with only one study report considered. A report that seems
highly biased by the company presen�ng it who would now take full advantage of my money and my
loan and would freely sell my extra electricity to others with litle thought to me. I further couldn't
believe that the only systems grandfathered into the old system had to be installed before Dec 20th
2019?!? That is an insult to anyone in the last three and a half years who has even considered solar. I
would beg you to at very least heavily consider other reports before changing my u�li�es in the
proposed fashion that can so heavily impact my family.

Thank you for your �me,
Seth Blockoff"
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Name: Tab Fleming
Submission Time: Jul 12 2023 10:02AM
Email: �[e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 1880 Truckerville rd
Pocatello , Id 83204

Name of U�lity Company: Idaho power

Case ID: IPC-E-23-14

Comment: "Please con�nue to maintain the exis�ng rate for roof top genera�on. We can’t go forward on
renewable electricity without it. "
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Name: thomas buchta
Submission Time: Jul 12 2023 10:45AM
Email: [e-mail]
4

Telephone: [phone]
Address: 3798 w deerpath
boise, ID 83714

Name of U�lity Company: Idaho Power

Case ID: IPC-E-23-14

Comment: "There are numerous problems with Idaho Powers reasons for changing their billing.

First, nearly everyone agrees, including federal, state and local government, that consumers should be
encouraged to use less energy, but somehow using less by inves�ng in solar is chea�ng? If that were the
case then so would se�ng your thermostats higher in the summer and lower in the winter, or inves�ng
in beter insula�on or windows.

And how is it that IP promotes its own green expansion of solar energy on one hand but aggressively
pursues a policy to discourage its customers from doing the same? If IP agrees that changing to
renewables is the future then inves�ng in storage technology is part of the solu�on.

IP's claims that solar users are not paying their fair share of using their grid ignores the cost to purchase,
install and maintain roo�op systems which produces power for IP and all of its customers.

And peak hours of usage in the summer period are �ed to air condi�oning usage and from about 1pm to
9pm not 3 to 11 as IP says. You can prove it by looking at your own usage online, or by checking na�onal
averages from the USEA.

But of course these are just inconvenient facts to Idaho Power Those of us who pay u�lity bills know
from experience that if we conserve and use less the bill goes up because we use less. If we use more
the bill goes up...Our only hope is that the IPUC actually considers the needs of the Public who pay their
bills and not the powerful Idaho Power lobby that provides $10s of thousands of dollars annually and
lucra�ve jobs to state officials to get their way."
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The following comment was submited via PUCWeb:

Name: Paty Cooper
Submission Time: Jul 12 2023 1:36PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 4296 N Longabaugh Way
Meridian, ID 83646

Name of U�lity Company: Idaho Power

Case ID: IPC-E-23-14

5

Comment: "If changes to the rates for solar net metering are approved by the commission, please allow
for customers who installed solar panels prior to the rate change date to be grandfathered in.

Based on what has been reported, only 2% of Idaho Power’s customers have solar panels so it shouldn’t
be a big impact to Idaho Power. But it will be a significant impact to the people who have already
installed solar panels with the assump�on of the current rates. I installed solar panels on my house in
2021 so wouldn’t be grandfathered in under Idaho Power’s current rules. The new rates should apply
only to new solar customers who can evaluate the cost of solar compared to the benefit with the new
rates. "
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The following comment was submited via PUCWeb:

Name: James Rosenfeld
Submission Time: Jul 12 2023 2:38PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 114 La�go Ln.
Ketchum, ID 83340

Name of U�lity Company: Idaho Power

Case ID: IPC-E-23-14

Comment: "Dear Commissioners:
I am a re�red small farmer and quite concerned about the effects greenhouse gases may have on our
health globally. In response to this concern, I would like to do everything with in my power to minimize
my carbon foot print, as an individual. To this end, I am considering installing a solar array on my
property. I am fortunate to have an excellent loca�on for solar, as do many others in this State.
Net metering is a simple and just way to compensate an individual who chooses to spend the �me and
money installing such a power genera�ng source. As an Idaho Power customer for many years, I am
grateful for the service provided. It does seem to me that the company should spend available resources
to up grade the grid rather than addi�onal dollars on power genera�on. A slight adjustment in the
service charge might offset any lost revenue. Furthermore, local power genera�on, fed back into the
local grid, can be up to 30% more efficient than running long distances with high tension lines. I'm not
saying there is no place for central power genera�on. We will always need the required power for our
'hard' energy requirements, as in manufacturing and industrial produc�on; par�cularly in major urban
centers.
Electric transport is another fast rising energy need that should not be ignored. If we are going to bridge
our energy gap on the horizon, we will need power from as many clean sources as possible. Residen�al
solar can play a vital role in this mix.
For these reasons, I hope you will take your decision making seriously.
Thank you for the opportunity to express myself.
Sincerely,
James Rosenfeld"
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