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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20230822Reply Comments.pdf MEGAN GOICOECHEA ALLEN Corporate Counsel mgoicoecheaallen@idahopower.com August 22, 2023 Jan Noriyuki, Secretary Idaho Public Utilities Commission 11331 W. Chinden Boulevard Building 8, Suite 201-A Boise, Idaho 83714 Re: Case No. IPC-E-23-18 Application for Approval of Special Contract and Tariff Schedule 34 to Provide Electric Service to Lamb Weston, Inc. Dear Ms. Noriyuki: Attached for electronic filing is Idaho Power Company’s Reply Comments in the above-entitled matter. If you have any questions about the attached documents, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Megan Goicoechea Allen MGA:sg Enclosures RECEIVED Tuesday, August 22, 2023 11:02:34 AM IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION IDAHO POWER COMPANY’S REPLY COMMENTS - 1 MEGAN GOICOECHEA ALLEN (ISB No. 7623) LISA D. NORDSTROM (ISB No. 5733) Idaho Power Company 1221 West Idaho Street (83702) P.O. Box 70 Boise, Idaho 83707 Telephone: (208) 388-2664 Facsimile: (208) 388-6936 mgoicoecheaallen@idahopower.com lnordstrom@idahopower.com Attorneys for Idaho Power Company BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION IN THE MATTER OF IDAHO POWER COMPANY’S APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF SPECIAL CONTRACT AND TARIFF SCHEDULE 34 TO PROVIDE ELECTRIC SERVICE TO LAMB WESTON, INC. ) ) ) ) ) ) CASE NO. IPC-E-23-18 IDAHO POWER COMPANY’S REPLY COMMENTS COMES NOW, Idaho Power Company (“Idaho Power” or “Company”) and, pursuant to Idaho Public Utilities Commission’s (“Commission”) Rule of Procedure1 203, and the Notice of Modified Procedure, Order No. 35822, hereby respectfully submits the following Reply Comments in response to Comments of the Commission Staff (“Staff”) in this case dated August 15, 2023. 1 Hereinafter cited as RP. IDAHO POWER COMPANY’S REPLY COMMENTS - 2 Idaho Power appreciates Staff’s thorough review and assessment of the proposed Special Contract for electric service between Idaho Power and Lamb Weston, Inc. (“Lamb Weston”) for electric service at the Lamb Weston manufacturing facility located in American Falls, Idaho, and rates proposed in tariff Schedule 34, “Idaho Power Company Electric Service Rate for Lamb Weston, Inc.” (“Schedule 34”). Staff’s supportive Comments include the following recommendations: 1. Approve the Special Contract provided as Attachment 1 of the Application; 2. Approve the proposed annual update to the marginal energy price effective June 1; 3. Approve the proposed Schedule 34 tariff provided as Attachment 2 of the Application with the modification to replace Original Sheet No. 34-4 included with Attachment 2 with the Original Sheet No. 34-4 included in the Errata to Application provided as Revised Attachment 2; and 4. Approve the proposed PCA accounting treatment. The Company agrees with Staff’s recommendations and appreciates the opportunity to offer these brief Reply Comments to provide clarification on two points included in Staff’s Comments as follows: (1) Discussing the Special Contract provisions, page 3 of Staff’s Comments states: The Special Contract outlines Lamb Weston's gradual contract demand ramp projection beginning July 2023 of 23 MW to March 2024, when it expects to reach a steady state of production. Lamb Weston has an initial annual contract demand of 34,000 kW starting in March 2024, which is consistent with the Company's request for the Agreement to be effective on March 1, 2024.  As indicated by Staff, the Special Contract provides that initial levels of Contract Demand through February 2024 will be based on the Contract IDAHO POWER COMPANY’S REPLY COMMENTS - 3 Demand ramp projection (set forth in Section 5.1(a) of the Special Contract), which starts at 23 MW in July 20232 and steadily increases until March 2024, when it expects to reach a steady state of production at which point Contract Demand will be 34,000 kW.  The Company clarifies, however, that the effective date requested for the Special Contract, which was executed on May 5, 2023, is “upon the approval by the IPUC of all terms and provisions hereof without change or condition.” See Application at paragraph 8 and Special Contract at Section 14.2. (2) Discussing the Errata filed by the Company on July 14th in order to correct an error regarding Block 2 charges, page 6 of Staff’s Comments states: In preparing the Company's response to Staff Production Requests, the Company found an error in the calculation of the Monthly Contract Demand Charge and provided Staff with corrected workpapers Staff reviewed the corrected workpapers and believes the updated Block 2 Monthly Contract Demand provided by the Company in the Original Sheet No. 34-4 included with the Errata to Application is the appropriate demand charge to be used for Lamb Weston.  The Company clarifies that the Errata related to the Block 2 Monthly Billing Demand Charge, not the Contract Demand Charge. Idaho Power again notes its appreciation for Staff’s review and consideration of the issues in this case. The Company supports Staff’s recommendations and provides these Reply Comments to clarify the items noted above to ensure accuracy, consistency, and clarity of the record. 2 Please note that Lamb Weston’s energy requirements have not, to date, exceeded 20,000 kW, and Lamb Weston has indicated they are approximately 3 months behind in their load ramping timing. IDAHO POWER COMPANY’S REPLY COMMENTS - 4 DATED at Boise, Idaho, this 22nd day of August 2023. MEGAN GOICOECHEA ALLEN Attorney for Idaho Power Company IDAHO POWER COMPANY’S REPLY COMMENTS - 5 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I HEREBY CERTIFY that on the 22nd day of August 2023, I served a true and correct copy of Idaho Power Company’s Reply Comments upon the following named parties by the method indicated below, and addressed to the following: Commission Staff Michael Duval 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 FTP Site X Email Michael.Duval@puc.idaho.gov Stacy Gust, Regulatory Administrative Assistant