20031201Said Updated Testimony.pdf

IPC- E-93-1 0
N ov. 28 , 2003
Updated Testimony of Gregory W. Said
for Idaho Power
Exhibit No.6 = 126 pages of Current Applicable
Tariffs (see case file)
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UTILITIES COr-1i"HSSION
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IDAHO POWER COMPANY,
THE NEW VILLAGER CONDOMINIUM )ASSOCIATION, INC., A NON- PROFIT IDAHO CORPORATION
AND ITS MEMBERS, INDIVIDUALLY,
peti tioner,
CASE NO. IPC-93-
vs.
Respondents.
IDAHO POWER COMPANY
DIRECT TESTIMONY
GREGORY W. SAID
please state your name and business address.
My name is Gregory W. Said and my business
address is 1221 West Idaho Street, Boise, Idaho.
By whom are you employed and in what
capaci ty?
I am employed by Idaho Power Company as the
Manager of Revenue Requirement in the Pricing and Regulatory
Services Department.
please describe your educational background.
In May of 1975, I received a Bachelor of
Science Degree with honors from Boise State Uni versi ty.
1999 I attended the Public Utility Executives Course at the
University of Idaho.
Please describe your work experience with
Idaho Power Company.
I became employed by Idaho Power Company in
1980 as an analyst in the Resource Planning Department.
1985 the Company applied for a general revenue requirement
increase.I was the Company witness addressing power supply
expenses.
In August of 1989, after nine years in the
Resource Planning Department, I was offered and I accepted a
position in the Company s Rate Department.Wi th the
Company s application for a temporary rate increase in 1992,
my responsibilities as a witness were expanded.While I
SAID, Di
Idaho Power Company
11/30/03
continued to be the Company witness concerning power supply
expenses, I also sponsored the Company s rate computations
and proposed tariff schedules in that case.
In 1994, I was asked to become the Meridian
District Manager for a one year cross-training opportunity.
In 1995 I returned to my position in the Rate Department.
In October 1996, I was promoted to lead a team of analysts
in the newly reorganized pricing & Regulatory Services
Department, formerly known as the Rate Department.In tha
role, I became the Company contact for line installation
disputes concerning Company compliance with tariff
provisions.
As the Manager of Revenue Requirement, I
continue to be the Company contact for Idaho Public
Utili ties Commission line installation disputes.
Do the tariffs of Idaho Power Company address
the provision of easements?
Yes.Rule C, Service and Requirements, item
7 includes the following requirement:The Customer shall,
wi thout cost to the Company, grant the Company a right of
way for the Company s lines and apparatus across and upon
the property owned or controlled by the Customer, necessary
or incidental to the supplying of Electric Service and shall
permit access thereto by the Company s employees at all
reasonable hours.
SAID, Di
Idaho Power Company
11/30/03
what is the rationale for having the customer
provide an easement or Right of Way at no cost to the
Company?
The cost of acquiring easements or Rights of
Way in order to provide service to customers of Idaho Power
Company would ultimately be included in the Company
revenue requirement and would be subj ect to recovery through
the Company s rates.By requiring that the customer
receiving service provide at no cost the easement/Right of
Way necessary to provide that service, there is no upward
pressure on the Company s rates.
Have you prepared an exhibi t tha
demonstrates that the provision of easements/Rights of Way
at no cost to the Company has been in existence for qui
some time?
Yes. Exhibit 5, consisting of 34 pages,
includes tariff provisions concerning Rights of Way dating
back to 1937.The provisions have always stated that Rights
of Way would be provided by the customer at no cost to the
Company.
Does the current tariff provide for either
overhead or underground service to residential customers?
Yes, it does.
please describe the Company standard for
underground serVlce.
SAID, Di
Idaho Power Company
11/30/03
Standard underground service on the Idaho
Power Company system consists of a pad mounted transformer
connected to underground service conductor which is
connected to an above ground meter.
Have you prepared an exhibi t that provides
the history of underground service provisions?
Yes. Exhibit 6, consisting of 126 pages
contains tariff provisions for underground line
installations from 1960 until now.Exhibit No.6 is divided
into 3 sections:The Company s current applicable tariffs
start on page 1, the applicable tariff revisions for 1960
through 1997 start on page 15, and the applicable tariff
revisions that occurred between 1997 through the
implementation of the current tariffs start on page 71.
Initially, the tariff language concentrated on the
difference in cost between distribution facilities placed
underground as opposed to facilities placed overhead.
Customers were responsible for paying the cost differential.
In March 1972 tariff language,Underground Facilities " were
defined and included either submersible transformers or
surface-type transformers mounted on concrete pads.
January 1976, tariff language no longer included submersible
transformers in the definition of Underground Facilities.
Would the provision of new underground
service that includes placing the transformer underground be
SAID, Di
Idaho Power Company
11/30/03
desirable to the Company?
No.As Mr. Nielson has stated and the tariff
language affirms, the Company has made the transition from
having only overhead distribution facilities to the current
standards for underground distribution facilities with pad
mounted transformers.The Company did place transformers
underground for a period of time, but has discontinued doing
so.
What relief is the Company requesting that
the Commission provide in this proceeding?
The Company believes that the Commission has
the authority to determine appropriate provisions for
service of residential customers.The Commission should
rule that for the New Villager Condominium Association, Inc.
to receive residential service from Idaho Power Company the
association must provide appropriate easements/Rights of Way
to allow for pad mounted transformers.
If the Commission did not rule as you have
suggested, but rather required the Company to place
transformers underground, what would your recommendation be?
If the Commission were to rule that
underground service to the New Villager Condominium
Association, Inc. was to include transformers placed
underground, I would recommend that the Commission recognize
that this is a nonstandard underground service and as such
SAID, Di
Idaho Power Company
11/30/03
should be paid for by the customer.
What would you recommend as the amount that
New Villager Condominium Association, Inc. would pay for
this nonstandard service?
Based upon Exhibit 4, the cost that the New
villager Association should pay is $58,995.At a later
point in time, should the company need to replace any of the
transformers, including the standby transformer, another
assessment would be appropriate.
Would this be all that you would suggest
requiring of New Villager Condominium Association, Inc.
No.I would also suggest that the Commission
require that New Villager Condominium Association, Inc.
grant a Right of Way that would allow temporary utilization
of above ground transformers during periods of time when
failures prevent the Company from being able to serve the
New Villager Condominiums from the nonstandard New Villager
system as a condition of providing electric service.
Does this conclude your testimony.
Yes, it does.
SAID , Di
Idaho Power Company
11/30/03