20090123Comments.pdf

KRISTIE A. SASSER
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PO BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0074
[phone]
BARNO. 6618
EI\fi-",REC.,lel,
1U69 JAN 23 M1 1\: 00
Street Address for Express Mail:
472 W. WASHINGTON
BOISE, IDAHO 83702-5983
Attorney for the Commission Staff
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
MARIAN MATHEWSON,
Complainant,
)
) CASE NO. P AC-E-08-9
)
)
) COMMENTS OF THE
) COMMISSION STAFF
)
)
vs.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER,
Respondent.
COMES NOW the Staff of the Idaho Public Utilties Commission, by and through its
Attorney of record, Krstine A. Sasser, Deputy Attorney General, and in response to the Summons
issued on November 13, 2008 in Case No. PAC-E-08-9, submits the following comments.
BACKGROUND
On November 13,2008, the Idaho Public Utilties Commission issued a summons to Rocky
Mountain Power (Company; Respondent) in response to a Formal Complaint filed by Marian
Mathewson (Complainant). The Complainant objects to the Company's policy of charging a monthly
facilties charge in situations where distrbution facilities are constructed to serve a customer located
more than ~ mile from the nearest existing distribution facility. The Complainant does not object to
the cost of constructing facilties to serve her house or paying for energy used after service is provided.
STAFF COMMENTS 1 JANUARY 23,2009
On December 3, 2008, the Company fied its Answer and Motion to Dismiss with the
Commission. In its Answer, the Company asserts that it has followed its tariff as fied with the
Commission. The Company's taiff includes the policy to which the Complainant objects.
STAFF ANALYSIS
Although not mentioned by the Company, Staff notes that the Company's estimated line
extension cost provided to the Complainant in November 2007 has expired. The cost of constrction
and any customer credits (allowances) towards that cost would need to be updated in order to
determine the curent facilties charge that would be assessed if service was in fact provided to the
customer. Staff believes it is unecessary, however, to update the costs in order to resolve this Formal
Complaint.
Staff agrees that the Company appropriately applied the provisions of its taiff and correctly
calculated the monthly facilities charge in this instace. In Staff s opinion, the question is whether the
Company's policy of collecting monthly facilities charges and the formula used to determine those
charges is stil fair and reasonable. In fact, Staff asked and the Company responded to several formal
production requests concerning facilties charges in Rocky Mountain Power's pending rate case (Case
No. PAC-E-08-07).
RECOMMENDATION
Based on the foregoing, Staff believes it would be appropriate for the Commission to dismiss
Ms. Mathewson's Formal Complaint. Staff intends to further evaluate the details of the Company's
facilties charge tarff. If changes to or elimination of the tariff language is deemed necessary, Staf
wil work with the Company to affect such changes and present them to the Commission for approvaL.
Staff will continue to keep Ms. Mathewson advised of progress on the issue and of any proposed
modification to the existing tariff.
Respectfully submitted this 2~ day of Januar 2009.
~.a'~JA_
Kr tine A. Sasser
Deputy Attorney General
Technical Staff: Beverly Barker
i:umisc:commentsipace08.9ksbab.doc
STAFF COMMENTS 2 JANUARY 23,2009
¡
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT I HAVE THIS 23RD DAY OF JANUARY 2009,
SERVED THE FOREGOING COMMENTS OF THE COMMISSION STAFF, IN
CASE NO. PAC-E-08-09, BY MAILING A COPY THEREOF, POSTAGE PREPAID,
TO THE FOLLOWING:
DANIEL SOLANDER
SENIOR COUNSEL
ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER
201 S MAIN ST STE 2300
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84111
E-MAIL: daniel.solander(fpacificorp.com
DATA REQUEST RESPONSE CENTER
PACIFICORP
825 NE MUL TNOMAH STE 2000
PORTLAND OR 97232
E-MAIL: dataeguest(fpacificorp.com
MARIAN MATHEWSON
3125 E HARKESS CANYON RD
McCAMMON ID 83250-1555
Jo~
SECRETARY..
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE