20151125Decision Memo.pdf

DECISION MEMORANDUM 1
DECISION MEMORANDUM

TO: COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSIONER RAPER
COMMISSION SECRETARY
COMMISSION STAFF

FROM: DAPHNE HUANG
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL

DATE: NOVEMBER 25, 2015

SUBJECT: ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER’S APPLICATION FOR AUTHORITY TO
CANCEL ELECTRIC SERVICE SCHEDULE NO. 71 ENERGY
EXCHANGE PROGRAM, CASE NO. PAC-E-15-14
On November 20, 2015, PacifiCorp dba Rocky Mountain Power filed an Application
asking the Commission for authority to cancel Electric Service Schedule No. 71, its Energy
Exchange Program. The Company asked that the Application be processed under Modified
Procedure.
BACKGROUND
Rocky Mountain is a public utility in the State of Idaho, subject to the Commission’s
jurisdiction. Application at 1; Idaho Code § 61-129. The Company offered Electric Service
Schedule No. 71, the Energy Exchange Program, to its customers in 2001 as an optional program
“to reduce energy usage as quickly as possible.” Application at 2. Customers who wished to
participate had to “execute an energy exchange customer agreement with the Company,” under
which they would “voluntarily reduce their electricity usage in exchange for a payment at times
and prices determined by the Company.” Id.
Under the program, Rocky Mountain notified participating customers “of an
exchange event when market prices were such that it was economic for the Company to
encourage customers to reduce energy usage.” Id. In such event – called a “curtailment event” –
those customers “had to maintain their electricity usage below the customer’s baseline service
for the duration of the specified event.” Id. at 2, 3.
The program was available only to customers “with a monthly demand exceeding
1,000 kilowatts at least once during the [prior] twelve-month billing period.” Id. at 2.
DECISION MEMORANDUM 2
Participants had to agree to have a Company-provided meter “capable of recording usage
intervals no less than 15 minutes.” Id.
Since its inception, participation in the program has been very limited; eight
customers signed up in 2001 (four in Utah, two in Oregon, one in Washington, and one in
Idaho). Id. at 2-3. No customers participated from 2001-2005. Id.at 3. Two Utah customers
signed up from 2005-2008. Id. Since 2008, no customers have participated in the program. Id.
No curtailment events have been offered since 2010. Id.
For larger commercial and industrial customers wishing to participate in the program,
Rocky Mountain offers an Energy Profiler Online (“EPO”) energy management product. Id.
The EPO helps customers “monitor and more efficiently utilize their energy usage,” and a
component of the product is the “load curtailment module.” Id. The current EPO contract
expires at the end of 2015. Id.
THE APPLICATION
Rocky Mountain seeks to cancel Electric Service Schedule No. 71, the Energy
Exchange Program. In support, the Company cites the limited customer participation since the
program began, and the lack of any customer participation since 2008. Id. In addition, Rocky
Mountain proposes to “stop purchasing the load curtailment module” of the EPO program with
its new contract beginning in 2016. Id.
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to issue a Notice of Application and Notice of Modified
Procedure setting a 21-day comment period?

Daphne Huang
Deputy Attorney General

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