20021212Order No 29168.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
December 3 , 2002
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE P ACIFICORP
APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF CHANGES)
TO THE RULES AND CHARGES FOR
TEMPORARY SERVICE CONNECTION FACILITIES.
CASE NO. P AC-O2-
ORDER NO. 29168
On October 3 , 2002, Pacifi Corp filed an Application seeking approval of certain changes
to its Electric Service Schedule Nos. 14 and 300 and Electric Service Regulation No. 12 concerning
temporary service connection facilities. The Company requested that these proposed revisions
become effective December 4 2002. On October 29, 2002, the Commission issued a Notice of
Application, Modified Procedure, and Comment Deadline in Order No. 29138. Commission Staff
was the only party to file comments by the November 21 2002 comment deadline. After reviewing
the comments and record in this case, the Commission approves the Application as set out in greater
detail below.
THE APPLICATION
Pacifi Corp s Application proposed that it no longer supply temporary service connection
facilities1 in its Idaho service territory. This would close Schedule 14 to new service. In 2001 , the
Company received 334 requests for temporary power installations and 298 temporary power
installations are currently in service.
The Company based its proposal on the fact that temporary service connection facilities
are readily available at home improvement stores and can be obtained easily by customers or
contractors as needed. Purchasing and warehousing temporary service facilities in order to have a
supply available for lease creates unnecessary costs and an administrative burden for the Company.
Moreover, the Company does not provide temporary service connection facilities in any other state in
its service territory. Utah and Wyoming eliminated the requirement to provide temporary service
facilities in the late 1990s. PacifiCorp indicated that neither A vista Utilities nor Idaho Power offer
this service in the State of Idaho. The Company also noted that the State of Idaho Division of
1 Temporary service connection facilities normally include a temporary power pole, a meter base, a main switch and
breaker panel and a limited number of electrical outlets. Temporary service connection facilities are typically installed toprovide electrical service at construction sites.
ORDER NO. 29168
Building Safety imposed new requirements for suppliers of temporary service connection facilities
on June 26, 2002, which would create additional costs for the Company.
The majority ofthe Company s customers who request temporary service facilities are
contractors. PacifiCorp stated that the Company was in the process of communicating with Idaho
contractors that it has worked with in the past to inform them of this Application. In some areas
local contractors are already supplying their own temporary services, as PacifiCorp s do not meet
their needs.
The Company also proposed to increase the $45 charge for connection and disconnection
of temporary service facilities to $85 for single phase and $115 for three-phase service. The
Company estimated that the cost of connecting and disconnecting service ranges from $81 to $233
as anywhere from one to three hours of labor may be required. The Company argued that the
existing charge for this service is considerably less than the cost of providing this service.
PacifiCorp further asserted that this proposed charge is consistent with what the Company charges
for this service in other jurisdictions.
STAFF COMMENTS
Staff s investigation confirmed that temporary service connection facilities are readily
available at home improvement stores and can be obtained easily by customers or contractors as
needed. Staff also confirmed that the Company does not provide temporary service connection
facilities in any other state in its service territory. Staff also verified that neither Idaho Power nor
A vista has provided temporary service connection facilities to contractors or customers for many
years. Staff does not believe that there is any compelling reason for PacifiCorp to continue to be
required to provide these readily available facilities.
Because PacifiCorp has provided temporary service connection facilities in the past, some
of these facilities remain installed at construction sites. Staff proposed that PacifiCorp be required to
allow customers and contractors who are currently using temporary facilities to continue doing so
until construction oftheir project is complete. Once the projects are complete, the facilities would be
returned to the Company and retired. Staff concurred with PacifiCorp s proposal that it not be
required to provide facilities in response to any new requests.
Staff did not oppose the Company s proposal to increase the $45 charge for connection
and disconnection of temporary service facilities to $85 for single-phase and $115 for three-phase
ORDER NO. 29168
servIce. Staff noted that Idaho Power and A vista both charge fees for the same service that are
higher than PacifiCorp s current fee. Idaho Power charges a temporary service connection fee of
$120 for overhead service and $140 for underground service. Avista charges a temporary service
connection fee for residential customers of $60 plus the cost of any additional required labor or
materials that will not be used in the permanent service. Staff indicated that the estimated range of
actual costs for connecting and disconnecting service cited by PacifiCorp is accurate. Furthermore
Staff found that an increase in the temporary service connection fee is warranted.
In sum, Staffrecommended that the Commission approve PacifiCorp s request to close
Schedule No. 14 to new service. Staff also recommends the Commission approve the Company
request to increase the charge for connection and disconnection of temporary service to $85 for
single-phase and $115 for three-phase service.
COMMISSION FINDINGS
The Commission has reviewed and considered PacifiCorp s Application in Case
No. P AC-02-6. The Commission has also considered Staffs analysis and recommendation in this
matter. The Commission continues to find that the issues presented are suitable for processing under
Modified Procedure, i., by written submission rather than by hearing. IDAP A 31.01.01.204.
In considering the filings of record, the Commission finds PacifiCorp s Application and
proposed changes to its rules and charges for temporary service facilities to be reasonable. Based
upon the evidence in the record, the Commission finds that temporary service connection facilities
are readily available and need not be supplied by PacifiCorp. This finding is consistent with our
treatment ofIdaho Power Company and A vista Utilities, neither of which has offered this service in
many years. Although we approve PacifiCorp s Application to close this service to new customers
we direct PacifiCorp to continue serving customers and contractors who are currently using
temporary facilities until their respective construction projects are completed. Given the rates
charged by other utilities for the same service, the Commission further finds the Company's proposal
to increase the $45 charge for connection and disconnection of temporary service facilities to $85 for
single-phase and $115 for three-phase service to be reasonable.
Although the Commission has made considerable efforts to notify the building and
electrical contractors most likely to be impacted by the Application, we note that no customer has
objected to PacifiCorp s temporary service facilities proposal. More specifically, the Commission
sent its Notice of Application to 54 building contractors identified by PacifiCorp with whom the
ORDER NO. 29168
Company most often does business. A letter describing the proposed changes was also sent by the
Company to more than 150 electrical contractors who do business in PacifiCorp s Idaho service
territory. The Commission sent a copy of the Notice to these electrical contractors as well.
For the reasons described above, we find it appropriate to approve PacifiCorp
Application. We further find the requested December 4, 2002, effective date to be reasonable.
CONCLUSION OF LAW
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission has jurisdiction over this matter and PacifiCorp,
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.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED thatPacifiCorp s Application seeking approval of changes
to its Electric Service Schedule Nos. 14 and 300 and Electric Service Regulation No. 12 be approved
effective December 4, 2002.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that PacifiCorp submit tariff sheets consistent with this
Order to the Commission.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER. Any person interested in this Order may petition for
reconsideration within twenty-one (21) days of the service date ofthis 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.
ORDER NO. 29168
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho, this 3,.J..
day of December 2002.
AUL L ER, PRESIDENT
~~
LJ &k~
MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:
D. Jewel
Commission Secretary
O:P ACEO206 1n2
ORDER NO. 29168