27700.docx

(text box: 1)BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE IDAHO POWER COMPANY’S SCHEDULED JUNE 1999 ELECTRIC INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN (IRP) FILING.
)
)
)
)
)
CASE NO. IPC-E-98-11
ORDER NO.  27700
On August 5, 1998, Idaho Power Company (Idaho Power; Company) filed a letter request with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (Commission) requesting Commission authorization to postpone its scheduled June 1999 electric Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) filing until June 2000, and then every two years thereafter.  By prior Commission Order No. 22299, the Company is required to file every two years.
The Company notes that the Commission on July 23, 1998, in Order No. 27636 authorized The Washington Water Power Company (Water Power) to postpone its scheduled 1999 electric IRP filing.  In its Order, the Commission acknowledged Water Power’s representations regarding recent changes and activity in the electric industry and anticipated future changes in the industry at the national and state levels, e.g., customer choice, retail competition, open market, deregulation, and re-regulation.
Idaho Power contends that like Water Power, it too is experiencing uncertainty over future changes in the electric utility industry and believes that a similar one-year delay in its IRP filing requirement would provide it and Commission Staff additional time to assess the scope of future IRP filings and the role that the IRP will play in future electric resource planing processes.
Idaho Power notes that it intends to make a similar request asking the Oregon Public Utilities Commission to allow the Company to defer the filing of its 1999 Oregon Least Cost Plan for one year until June of 2000.
COMMISSION FINDINGS
The Commission has reviewed and considered the filings of record in Case No. IPC-E-98-11.  The Commission has also reviewed its underlying IRP Order No. 22299 regarding scheduled filings.  
The Commission finds that the Company’s representations as set forth above provide sufficient basis and reasonable grounds for granting the requested relief, i.e., a one-year postponement in its schedule electric IRP filing.  We find it reasonable to treat the Company’s filing as a Rule 53(a) Petition requesting modification, amendment or stay of an existing Order.  We further find it reasonable upon a finding of good cause to grant the requested relief without further Notice or Modified Procedure.  
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission has jurisdiction over this matter and over Idaho Power Company, an electric utility, pursuant to the authority and power granted under Title 61 of the Idaho Code and the Commission’s Rules of Procedure, IDAPA 31.01.01.000 et seq.  
O R D E R
In consideration of the foregoing and as more particularly described, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED and Idaho Power Company is hereby authorized to postpone its scheduled June 1999 electric IRP filing until June 2000, and then is required to file every two years thereafter.  Reference Order No.  22299.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER.  Any person interested in this Order may petition for reconsideration within twenty-one (21) days of the service date of this Order.  Within seven (7) days after any person has petitioned for reconsideration, any other person may cross-petition for reconsideration.  See Idaho Code § 61-626.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this                  day of August 1998.
                                                                                                                                      DENNIS S. HANSEN, PRESIDENT
                                                                                           RALPH NELSON, COMMISSIONER

MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:

Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary
vld/O:IPC-E-98-11.sw
COMMENTS AND ANNOTATIONS
Text Box 1:
TEXT BOXES
Office of the Secretary
Service Date
August 27, 1998