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June 10,2020
Diane Hanian, Commission Secretary
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
472W. Washington
Boise, ldaho 83720-007 4
diane.holt@puc.idaho. gov
Re: CASE No.: PAC-E-18-0t
IN THE MATTER OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER'S APPLICATION
FOR AUTHORIZATION TO CHA}IGE DEPRECIATION RATES
APPLICABLE TO ELECTRIC PROPERTY
Dear Ms. Hanian:
Enclosed please find the original Application for Intervenor Funding of the ldaho
Irrigation Pumpers Associations, Inc. in PAC-E-I8-08 to be filed electronically per Order No.
34602. Electronic copies are being served per the Certificate of Service.
Please file the Application in the case file. tf you have any questions, please don't
hesitate to call. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Eric L. Olsen
ELO/rjb
Enclosures
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Eric L. Olsen (ISB# 481l)
ECHO HAWK & OLSEN, PLLC
505 Pershing Ave., Ste. 100
P.O. Box 6119
Pocatello,Idaho 83205
Telephone : (208) 47 8-l 624
Facsimile: (208) 47 8-167 0
Email: elo@echohawk.com
Attorneyfor Intervenor ldaho Irrigation Pumpers Association, Inc.
BEFORE TIIE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
FiTCTIVED
?[:S JU,q l0 P]l 3r ltr
':- ' irri li ii;-! ir'' :..; i UlrLtV, ::'i r::*ti ilCi,il,{tSSl0},i
IN THE MATTER OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN
POWER'S APPLICATION FOR
AUTHORIZATION TO CHANGE
DEPRECIATION RATES APPLICABLE TO
ELECTRIC PROPERTY
CASE NO. PAC-E-18.08
APPLICATION FOR INTERVENOR
FUNDING OF THE IDAHO
IRRIGATION PUMPERS
ASSOCIATION, INC.
COMES NOW the Idaho lrrigation Pumpers Association, Inc. ("Irrigators"), by and
through counsel of record, Echo Hawk & Olsen, PLLC, and hereby respectfully makes
application to the ldaho Public Utilities Commission ("Commission") for intervenor funding,
pursuant to ldaho Code 5 6l-617A and IDAPA 5S 3l.0l.0l.16l through .165, in this case, as
follows:
(A) A summary of the expenses that the Irrigators request to recover broken down
into legal fees, witness fees and other costs and expenses is set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto
and incorporated by reference.
(B) The lrrigators' Counsel, Eric L. Olsen of Echo Hawk & Olsen ("Mr. Olsen") and
Irrigator's witness Dr. Lance Kaufman of Aegis Insight ("Dr. Kaufman"), and Irrigators' witness
Anthony J. Yankel of Yankel Associates, Inc. ("Mr. Yankel") participated in these proceedings.
Mr. Olsen and Dr. Kaufman prepared and served written discovery, reviewed and analyzed the
various parties' positions, and attended and participated via conference call or in person in the
APPLICATION FOR INTERVENOR FUNDING OF THE IDAHO IRRIGATION PUMPERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
PAC-E-1E-08 Pagc I
numerous technical conferences and settlement conferences held in this matter focusing on the
appropriateness of the various elements of the depreciation study of the proposed PacifiCorp
system and Idaho specific asset accounts.
Dr. Kaufman's efforts focused on the depreciable lives, retirement dispersion patterns,
net salvage, and decommissioning costs of PacifiCorp's assets. Dr. Kaufman performed actuarial
analysis of every PacifiCorp plant account with vintage accounting records. Dr. Kaufrnan
reviewed PacifiCorp's proposed net salvage values and compared these values with annual,
average, and rolling average historic cost of removal, salvage, and net salvage amounts for each
PacifiCorp plant account. Dr. Kaufinan reviewed PacifiCorp's initially filed decommissioning
study and the revised decommissioning and remediation study.
Mr. Yankel's efforts focused on the appropriateness PacifiCorp's request to accelerate the
retirement and depreciation of seven coal fire plants in its fleet (Cholla-4, Colstrip 3&$, Craig
l&2, and Bridger I & 2). Mr. Yankel's eflorts were put on hold in the middle of this case as
PacifiCorp readdressed the appropriate term for the acceleration of depreciation and forecast
decommissioning costs of these thermal plants in the 2019 IRP. Ultimately, the thermal plant
lives and the decommission costs were removed from the current settlement and are being
addressed in Phase [I ofthis case.
(C) The lrrigators' proposed findings and recommendations are captured in the
Stipulation on Depreciation Rate Changes and in its supporting Attachments (the "stipulation")
to be filed with the IPUC shortly. As a signatory, the Irrigators believe that the Stipulation and
the resulting proposed depreciation rates are fair, just and reasonable resolution to issues
addressed therein.
APPLICATION FOR INTERVENOR FUI{DING OF THE IDAHO IRRIGATION PUMPERS ASSOCIATION,INC.PAC-E-18-08 Page 2
(D) The expenses and costs incurred by the Irrigators set forth in Exhibit A are
reasonable in amount and were necessarily incurred. The expenses and costs were incurred in
participating in the technical and settlement conferences, in the drafting and review discovery
responses, and negotiating the final terms of the Stipulation and will assist the Irrigators in
completing Phase II of this case. Without incurring these expenses and costs, the Irrigators
would not have been able to fully participate in this matter.
(E) The costs described in Paragraph (A) above constitute a financial hardship for the
Irrigators. The Irrigators are an Idaho nonprofit corporation qualified under I.R.C.5 501(c)(5)
representing farm interests in electric utility rate matters affecting farmers in southern and central
Idaho. The Inigators rely solely upon dues and contributions voluntarily paid by members,
together with intervenor funding, to support its activities. Each year mailings are sent to
approximately 7,000 Idaho Irrigators (approximately one-third in the Rocky Mountain Power
service area), soliciting annual dues. The Irrigators recommend members make voluntary
contributions based on acres inigated or horsepower per pump. Member contributions have been
falling which is believed to be attributable to increased operating costs and declining commodity
prices.
From member contributions the Irrigators must pay all expenses, which generally include
mailing expenses, meeting expenses and shared office space in Boise, Idaho, in addition to the
expenses relating to participation in matters before the Commission. The Executive Director,
Lynn Tominaga, is the only part-time paid contractor, receiving a retainer plus expenses for
office space, office equipment, and secretarial services. Other Irrigator officers and directors are
elected annually and serve without compensation.
APPLICATION FOR INTERVENOR FUNDING OF THE IDAHO IRRIGATION PUMPERS ASSOCIATION,INC.pAC-E-lE_18 page 3
It has been and continues to be a financial hardship for the lrrigators to fully participate in
important cases such as this one due to the time and expense that must be incurred to fully
participate in such a case. Because of the lrrigators' financial constraints, participation in this
case, and filing of testimony and cross-examination of witnesses has been prudent.
(F) The Irrigators' raised many issues, that were not raised by other parties, some of
which were not included in the final Stipulation. The final Stipulation contained Irrigator
requested adjustments to Accounts 343, Idaho 363, ldaho 364, and Wyoming 390 that were
solely Irrigator's proposals that did not appear in any other party's settlement offers. As such,
the issues that the Irrigators raised and urged to be adopted by in the settlement discussions
materially differed from those addressed by the Commission Staff and other parties.
(G) The Irrigators' participation addressed issues of concern to the general body of
users or consumers on Rocky Mountain Power's system in that the lrrigator adjustments adopted
in the Stipulation reduced the proposed rate increase for all customer classes.
(H) The Irrigators represent the irrigation class of customers under Schedule l0 on
Rocky Mountain Power's system.
Based on the foregoing, it is respectfully submitted that the Irrigators are a qualiffing
intervenor and should be entitled to an award of costs of intervention in the maximum amount
allowable pursuant to Idaho Code 5 6l-617A and IDAPA 55 3l.0l.0l.l6l through .165.
DATED this 10ft day of June,2O2O.
ECHO HAWK & OLSEN, PLLC
By:
ERIC L. OLSEN Affomey for
Idaho lrrigation Pumpers Association, Inc
APPLICATION FOR INTERVENOR FTII\DING OF THE IDAHO IRRIGATION PUMPERS ASSOCIATION, INC.PAC-E-18-08 Pagc 4
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certiff that on the lOth day of June , 2020,I caused to be served a true and correct
copy of the foregoing by the method indicated below, and addressed to the following:
Diane M. Hanian, Secretary
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
P.O. Box 83720
I l33l W. Chinden Blvd.
Building 8, Suite 201-A
Boise,ID 83714
diane.holt@.puc. idaho.gov
Edward Jewell
Deputy Attomey General
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
47 2 W . Washington (837 02)
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0074
edward. iewell@puc.idaho. q0v
U.S. Mail
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trtrtrtrx
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Emily L. Wegener (Senior Atorney)
Yvonne R. Hogle
Ted Weston
PacifiCorp/ dba Rocky Mountain Power
1407 WN Temple Ste 330
Salt Lake City, UT 841l6
em i l-v. we gener(apac i fi corp.conr
vvonne.hosle@pac ifi corp.com
ted.weston ificorn.com
D. Matthew Moscon
Lauren Shurman
PacifiCorp/ dba Rocky Mountain Power
Stoel Rives, LLP
201 s. state St., ste I100
salt Lake city, UT 841I I
matt.mosco 6)stoel.cont
lauren.shurm l.con't
APPLICATION FOR INTERVENOR FUNDING OF THE IDAHO IRRIGATION PUMPERS ASSOCIATION, INC
PAC-E-18-08 Page 5
Data Request Response Center
PacifiCorp/ dba Rocky Mountain Power
825 NE Multnomah, Ste 2000
Portland, OR97232
datareq uest@paci fi corp.com
Dr. Lance D. Kaufman
Idaho lrrigation Pumpers Association, Inc.
4801 W. Yale Ave.
Denver, CO 80219
lance@aegisinsi ght.com
Anthony Yankel
Idaho Irrigation Pumpers Association, Inc.
12700 Lake Avenue, Unit 2505
Lakewood, OH44107
tony@yankel.net
Randall C. Budge
Thomas J. Budge
Attorneys for Monsanto Company
Racine Olsen, PLLP
P.O. Box 1391
Pocatello, ID 83204-1391
rcb@racinelaw.net
tjb@racinelaw.net
Brubaker & Associates
Monsanto Company
16690 Swingley Ridge Rd., #140
Chesterfield, MO 63017
mbrubaker@consultbai.com
kiverson@consultbai.com
Ronald L. Williams
Attorney for PacifiCorp Idaho Industrial
Customers
Williams Bradbury, P.C.
P.O Box 388
Boise,ID 83701
ron@wil liamsbradbury.com
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trx
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APPLICATION FOR INTERVENOR FUNDING OF THE IDAHO IRRIGATION PUMPERS ASSOCIATION, INC.PAC-E-18-08 Pege 6
II
Jim Duke
ldahoan Foods
PacifiCorp Idaho Industrial Customer
jduke@idahoan.com
Kyle Williams
BYU Idaho
PacifiCorp Idaho Industrial Customers
williamsk@byui.edu
Val Steiner
Nu-West Industries, [nc.
PacifiCorp Idaho Industrial Customers
Val.steiner@agrium.com
Benjamin J. Otto
Idaho Conservation League
710 N. 6th Street
Boise,lD 83702
botto@idahoconservation. org
Matthew Gerhart (CO Bar #50908)
Attorney for Sierra Club
1536 Wynkoop St., Ste.200
Denver, CO 80202
matt. gerhart@ sierracl ub.org
Ana Boyd
Sierra CIub
2l0l Webster St., Ste. 1300
Oakland, CA946l2
ana.boyd@sierraclub.org
U.S. Mail
Hand Delivered
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trtrtrtrx
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trnntrx
trtrtrtr
U.S. Mail
Hand Delivered
Overnight Mail
Telecopy (Fax)
Electronic Mail (Email)
U.S. Mail
Hand Delivered
Overnight Mail
Telecopy (Fax)
Electronic Mail (Email)
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APPLICATION FOR INTERVENORFUNDING OF THE IDAHO IRRIGATION PUMPERS ASSOCIATION,INC.PAC-E-1&08 Pege 7
Eric L. Olsen, Echo Hark & Olsen PLLC
APPLICATIONI'ORINTERVENOR UNI}ING OFTEE IDAHOIRRIGATIONPI'MPEBSASS(rcIATION,INC.
PAC-E 1t{8 Prgot
EXHIBIT A
Expert Witness, Anthony Yankel, Expenses:
l. Witness Fees: 42 Hours @ $ZOO:
Expert Witness, Dr. Lance D.IGufman, Expenses:
l. Witness Fees: 91.85333 Hours @$ZtO:
2. Travel Expenses & Costs:
Sub Total:
Legal Expenses:
l. Paralegal Fees: 5.7 Hours @ $gO:
2. Legal Fees Eric L. Olsen:44 Hours @ $ZOO =
3. Travel Expenses & Costs:
4. Soft Costs:
Sub Total:
$8,400.00
$11,424.23
$ lss.00
$11,579.23
$ s13.00
$ 7,638.00
$ 203.77
$ 23.06
$ 8,377.83
Grand Total: $28,357.06
APPLICATION FOR INTERVENOR FUNDING OF THE IDAIIO IRRIGATION PI'MPERS ASSOCIATION,INC.
PAC-E lt-08 Prgc 9