20130715Comment.pdf

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David calhste 2013 JUL 15 rJ 6:32
1454 W3700N
Howejfl332 ITILIN :üJulyS,2013 I
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
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Boise,ID 83720-0074
Dear Sirs,
I am taking this opportinity to comment on Rocky Mountain Power’s rate case PAC-E-33-10 As an
irrigator,I am concerned that this is a move by rocky Mountain Power (RMP)to eliminate another I
program designed to help the irrigators.As an irrigator,lam required to pay into the Customer jk;
Efficiency Services”Fund each and every power bill.Now it appears that RMP is removing access of the
irrigator from using those funds to make improvements In their systems.To me this sounds like now I
will be paying for something I am not allowed to use.
The current rate for “Qj;tomer Efficiency Service?is effectively a 2.1%tax on all other charges.have
been told that the Customer Efficiency Service?is a cost saver in the long run by promoting energy
savings system wide and slowing the need for new generation capacity.But if the consumer isn’t
allowed access to incentives to become more efficient then what is the purpose of the
Efficiency Services fund we are paying in to?Do you have over site of these funds?Or.are the funds
from the “Customer Efficiency Service?being placed in the RMP general account and used to increase
theirprofit margin?
SectIon 1 of the current program allows for exchange of gaskets and nozzles of irrigation equipment.Thfr
proposal wholly does away with this section.Section 2 of the program allows for cost share of iepladng
regulators and nozzles on pivots and Unean.The Proposal steps away from the incentive and RMP
states that they will have engineers evaluate on a case by case basis.I tear that all moneys will go to :
for engineering studies and there won’t be any funds left to cost share with the irrigators.Are there an
guarantees that liMP will be paying for anything other than engineering studies?Yes it is nice that RMrf
wili pay for the engineering studies,but in reality I as a rate payer am paying for these studies whether I
or not 1 use then my self.Wouldn’t ft be more cost effective for the consumer to pay for the engineerir44
studies and and keep RMP in the business of supplying power rather than shifting money between rz’tei
payers while taking a tee for providing the service?
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For example:I paid $15,81939 in power costs to RMP to irrigate my farm in 2012,of that $325.37 was
“Customer Efficiency Services”charges.I have been farming this piece of land since 2006 so if we were j :S..
to round down to $300 a year,I have paid $2100 into the program.This year I placed a new pivot
package on,it cost $2917.66.I am still waiting for RMP to approve the new package and issue an
incentive check.If approved the incentive check will be for $900.So I have paid $2100 into a “Savings
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account”thai am maybe allowed to withdraw $900.I will be paying another $300 plus into the system j :
this year with limited chance of every seeing any of ft again.If someone could explain hw this is a good1 •i
dealformeasaratepayerlwouldliketohearit
i would urge the PUC to reject the proposed changes by RMP.It that isn’t possible because of constraint4
placed on the PUC I would like to propose a review of the “Customer Efficiency SeMceC funds I reahze
regWating power companies is a complicated affair,but as a consumer I have felt abused by the system
ever since the last ownership change-Maybe as consumers we need to be better informed as to the use
of these funds,but I continue to witness monies spent on bird protectors that fall off the next week
rather than on maintenance on the system.In Howe I have seen no regular maintenance,the only time
we see RMP personnel is when the power is out and repairs am needed or when the meter reader is
about RMP claims to be a low cost energy provider,but when I compare rates they are the most
expensive one in the region.Who do we look to for relief?Thank you for this opportunity to stibmil
comment.
Sincerely,I
David R.Callister
CC.Senetor Jeff Siddoway,Representative Jo An Wood and Representative Paul Romrell
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