20210831Final_Order_No_35153.pdf

ORDER NO. 35153 1

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
August 31, 2021
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

On June 23, 2021, PacifiCorp dba Rocky Mountain Power (“Company”) applied to the
Commission for authority to revise Electric Service Schedule No. 300—Regulation Charges—to
add a fee for remote reconnection of service. The Company requests an effective date of September
1, 2021, and that its Application be processed by Modified Procedure.
On August 3, 2021, the Commission issued a Notice of Application and Notice of
Modified Procedure setting comment deadlines. Staff filed the only comments. The Company did
not reply.
Having reviewed the record, we issue this Order approving the Application and the
revised Schedule No. 300, as filed, effective September 1, 2021.
THE APPLICATION
The Company is currently installing the field area network for advanced metering
infrastructure (“AMI”) in its Idaho service territory. The Company anticipates completing
replacement of existing electric service meters by fall of 2022.
The implementation of AMI infrastructure in Idaho will provide a secure network that
will allow two-way communications from smart meters. AMI will provide functionality that
enables efficiencies in metering and operations including the ability to remotely disconnect and
reconnect customer service for non-payment and move-in and move-outs.1
When the AMI infrastructure has been installed and the network is fully operational,
the Company anticipates using remote disconnection and reconnection functions, eliminating the
need to dispatch any personnel for these tasks. The Company proposes to add a remote reconnect
fee subject to the terms stated in Rule 10—Termination of Service and Payment Arrangements—
for disconnections due to non-payment.

1 For a complete list of the efficiencies in metering and operations provided by AMI infrastructure please see the
Company’s Application at 2.
IN THE MATTER OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN
POWER’S APPLICATION FOR
AUTHORITY TO REVISE ELECTRIC
SERVICE SCHEDULE NO. 300—
REGULATION CHARGES
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CASE NO. PAC-E-21-15

ORDER NO. 35153
ORDER NO. 35153 2

During the AMI rollout not all meters will have the ability to remotely disconnect or
reconnect. Until the meter can utilize its full AMI capabilities, if the Company must dispatch
personnel to a customer’s home, the currently authorized Schedule No. 300 non-remote
reconnection fees will apply.
Once the AMI meters are installed and have the capabilities for remote disconnect and
reconnect, the Company proposes a remote reconnection fee based on the resources required to
process a customer’s initial request for a quote to have power turned on but excluding truck or
field labor expenses. The proposed remote reconnection fee is $7 and would be included in
Schedule No. 300, if approved.2
STAFF COMMENTS
Staff reviewed the Company’s Application and accompanying tariff revisions and
supported the proposal to add a $7 fee for remote reconnection for customers with AMI meters.
Staff noted that the Commission previously found it “reasonable and in the public interest for Idaho
Power and Avista to reduce their reconnection charges…” in Order No. 33229. Staff also noted
that for customers with remote connect/disconnect capabilities, the $7 fee would be a considerable
cost reduction in the currently authorized reconnection fees and it would eliminate the variable
reconnection fee based on time and date of reconnection.
Staff recommended the Company improve its method for calculating the Idaho remote
reconnection fees to align the fee with the actual costs to reconnect customers. Staff stated the
proposed $7 reconnection fee is based on the Company’s average operations and maintenance cost
for each call answered by the Company’s call center employees in 2017 which helped it align its
reconnection fee across its multi-state service territory. Staff suggested that using more recent data
may have led to a higher proposed reconnection fee. Staff suggested that the Company should
consider Idaho specific data and the proposed fee should be based on costs directly related to
remote reconnection.
COMMISSION FINDINGS AND DECISION
The Commission has jurisdiction over this matter under Title 61 of the Idaho Code.
Idaho Code § 61-501 gives the Commission the power to “supervise and regulate public utilities

2 The Company is currently authorized to collect a Reconnection Charge of $25 for reconnections during normal
business hours and $50 for reconnections outside normal business hours. Staff comments at 2-3.
ORDER NO. 35153 3

in the state.” Additionally, the Company is an electrical corporation under Idaho Code § 61-119
and a public utility under Idaho Code § 61-129.
Having reviewed the record, including the Application and Staff’s comments, the
Commission finds the Company’s proposed change to Schedule No. 300 is fair, just, and
reasonable and should be approved, effective September 1, 2021. We commend the Company for
updating Schedule No. 300 to reflect the changes in metering technology and pass on the cost
savings to customers. We note that the fee was based on the Company’s average cost for labor,
material, and operating costs to handle a customer’s request by a call center agent in all its
jurisdictions. We direct the Company to review its remote reconnection costs for Idaho customers
when it applies to modify the charge in Schedule No. 300.
O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED the Company’s Application to establish a new $7 fee for
remote reconnection of service for customers with capable meters under Schedule No. 300,
effective September 1, 2021, is approved.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Company shall base any updates to its
reconnection fee on up-to-date, Idaho specific data.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER. Any person interested in this Order may petition for
reconsideration within twenty-one (21) days of the service date of this Order regarding any matter
decided in this 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.
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ORDER NO. 35153 4

DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 31st day
of August 2021.

PAUL KJELLANDER, PRESIDENT

KRISTINE RAPER, COMMISSIONER

ERIC ANDERSON, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Jan Noriyuki
Commission Secretary

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