HomeMy WebLinkAbout20021010Decision Memo.docDECISION MEMORANDUM
TO: COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSIONER HANSEN
JEAN JEWELL
RON LAW
BILL EASTLAKE
LOU ANN WESTERFIELD
DON HOWELL
RANDY LOBB
RICK STERLING
DAVE SCHUNKE
TONYA CLARK
BEV BARKER
GENE FADNESS
WORKING FILE
FROM: LISA NORDSTROM
DATE: OCTOBER 10, 2002
RE: IN THE MATTER OF THE PACIFICORP APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF CHANGES TO THE RULES AND CHARGES FOR TEMPORARY SERVICE CONNECTION FACILITIES, CASE NO. PAC-E-02-6.
On October 3, 2002, PacifiCorp 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.
THE APPLICATION
PacifiCorp’s Application proposed that it no longer serve as the supplier of temporary service connection facilities 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 Avista Utilities nor Idaho Power offer this service in the State of Idaho. The Company also noted that the State of Idaho, Division of Building Safety, imposed new requirements for suppliers of temporary service connection facilities on June 26, 2002, which would add additional costs to the Company.
The majority of the Company’s customers who request temporary service facilities are contractors. PacifiCorp stated that the Company is in the process of communicating with Idaho contractors 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 does 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 the time ranges from one to three hours. 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 RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that this case be processed under Modified Procedure with a standard comment period.
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to process PacifiCorp’s Application seeking approval of certain changes to its Electric Service Schedule Nos. 14 and 300 and Electric Service Regulation No. 12 under Modified Procedure?
___________________________
Lisa D. Nordstrom
M:PACE0206_ln
DECISION MEMORANDUM 2