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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20221130Notice_of_Application_Order_No_35615.pdfNOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE ORDER NO. 35615 1 Office of the Secretary Service Date November 30, 2022 BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION IN THE MATTER OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER’S APPLICATION FOR AUTHORITY TO IMPLEMENT THE RESIDENTIAL RATE MODERNIZATION PLAN ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) CASE NO. PAC-E-22-15 NOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE ORDER NO. 35615 On October 20, 2022, PacifiCorp d/b/a Rocky Mountain Power (“Company”), applied to the Commission requesting authorization to implement a residential rate modernization plan over a five-year transition period (“Residential Rate Modernization Plan”). Application at 1. The Company requests that its Application be processed by Modified Procedure with a proposed December 1, 2022, effective date. Id. On November 9, 2022, the Company filed an Errata to its Application (“Errata”) that corrects the proposed rates depicted in Tables 5 and 6 of Robert Meredith’s direct testimony so they are reflected as cents per kilowatt-hour (“¢/kWh”) as opposed to dollars per kWh.1 We now issue this Notice of Application, Notice of Suspension of Proposed Effective Date, and Notice of Intervention Deadline setting a deadline for interested persons to intervene. NOTICE OF APPLICATION YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Company represents it currently charges residential customers a monthly, fixed Customer Service Charge and Energy Charges based on usage under electric Service. Id. at 3. The Company asserts this residential rate structure doesn’t align with cost causation as the monthly Customer Service Charge does not cover the fixed costs that are incurred by residential customers forcing those fixed cost to be recovered through volumetric Energy Charges. Id at 2-3. 1 The Company also submitted a notice of substitution of counsel with its November 9, 2022, filing. NOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE ORDER NO. 35615 2 YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company asserts that to “better align residential rates with causation” the Company proposes the Residential Rate Modernization Plan to modify residential rates over a five-year transition period as follows: a) Increase the Customer Service Charge for both Electric Service Schedule No. 1 – Residential Service (“Schedule 1”) and Electric Service Schedule No. 36 – Optional Time of Day – Residential Service (“Schedule 36”) to $29.25 per month and lower Energy Charges commensurately. b) Eliminate inclining block tiered rates for Schedule 1, so that Energy Charges are flat in each season. c) Change the time of use periods in Schedule 36, so the definitions of on- and off-peak periods match those listed on Electric Service Schedule No. 9 – General Service – High Voltage (“Schedule 9”). YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company’s proposed Schedule 1 rates by transition year are as follows: [remainder of this page intentionally left blank] NOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE ORDER NO. 35615 3 YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company’s proposed Schedule 36 rates by transition year are as follows: YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that PacifiCorp represents that the Residential Rate Modernization Plan is designed to be revenue neutral and does not increase the overall revenue collected from customers. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that PacifiCorp represents that notice to its customers is being accomplished by news media releases simultaneously with the filing of this Application and by an individual notice mailed to each customer. Additionally, copies of the press release and customer notice are attached to the Application and a copy of the Application and proposed rate schedules are available for public inspection on the Company’s website, “and at the Company’s offices in Rexburg, Preston, Shelley and Montpelier, Idaho.” Customer Press release at 3. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Application and supporting documentation has been filed with the Commission and are available for public inspection during regular business hours at the Commission’s office. These documents are also available on the Commission’s website at www.puc.idaho.gov. Click on the “ELECTRIC” icon, select “Open Cases,” and click on the case number as shown on the front of this document. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all proceedings in this matter will be conducted pursuant to the Commission’s Rules of Procedure, IDAPA 31.01.01.000 et seq. NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that PacifiCorp filed its Application on October 20, 2022 with a proposed December 1, 2022, effective date. The Commission finds that the Company’s NOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE ORDER NO. 35615 4 proposed effective date does not provide adequate time for Commission Staff and interested persons to evaluate the Company’s proposal. Pursuant to Idaho Code § 61-622, the Commission suspends the proposed changes for thirty (30) days and five (5) months or until the Commission enters an order accepting, rejecting, or modifying the proposed rate increases. NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that persons desiring to intervene in this matter to obtain parties’ rights of participation must file a Petition to Intervene with the Commission pursuant to this Commission’s Rules of Procedure 71-73, IDAPA 31.01.01.072-073. Persons who wish to intervene as a party must file a Petition to Intervene no later than 21 days after the date of service of this Order. Persons desiring to present their views without parties’ rights of participation do not have to intervene and may present their comments without prior notification to the Commission or the parties. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission Secretary shall issue a Notice of Parties after the deadline for intervention has passed. The Notice of Parties shall assign exhibit numbers to each party in this proceeding. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that once the Notice of Parties is issued, Commission Staff will informally confer with the parties to discuss a schedule to process this case and other issues as may be raised by the parties. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the following persons are designated as the Company’s representatives in this matter: Mark Alder 1407 West North Temple, Suite 330 Salt Lake City, UT 84116 mark.alder@pacificorp.com Joe Dallas 825 NE Multnomah Street, Suite 2000 Portland, OR 97232 joseph.dallas@pacificorp.com YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all hearings and prehearing conferences in this matter will be held in facilities meeting the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). Persons needing the help of a sign language interpreter or other assistance to participate in or to understand testimony and argument at a public hearing may ask the Commission to provide a sign language interpreter or other assistance at the hearing. The request for assistance must be received at least five working days before the hearing by contacting the Commission Secretary at: NOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE ORDER NO. 35615 5 IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION P.O. BOX 83720 BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0074 Telephone: (208) 334-0338 secretary@puc.idaho.gov ORDER IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Company’s proposed December 1, 2022 effective date is suspended for thirty (30) days plus five (5) months or until the Commission enters its order accepting, rejecting, or modifying the proposed rate modernization plan. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that persons desiring to intervene in this case for the purpose of obtaining parties’ rights of participation must file a Petition to Intervene with the Commission, under Rules 71-73, IDAPA 31.01.01.071-073, no later than 21 days after the service date of this Order. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, after the Secretary issues a Notice of Parties, Staff will informally confer with the parties to discuss the appropriate scheduling of this case. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that parties comply with Order No. 35375, issued April 21, 2022. Generally, all pleadings should be filed with the Commission electronically and will be deemed timely filed when received by the Commission Secretary. See Rule 14.02. Service between parties should continue to be accomplished electronically when possible. However, voluminous discovery-related documents may be filed and served on CD-ROM or a USB flash drive. NOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE ORDER NO. 35615 6 DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 30th day of November 2022. ERIC ANDERSON, PRESIDENT JOHN CHATBURN, COMMISSIONER _________________________________________ JOHN R. HAMMOND JR., COMMISSIONER ATTEST: Jan Noriyuki Commission Secretary I:\Legal\ELECTRIC\PAC-E-22-15 Res Mod Plan\orders\PACE2215_Ntc_App_Int_Susp_cs (002)_jh. 11.30.docx