19990308_1.docx

MINUTES OF DECISION MEETING
March 8, 1999 - 1:30 p.m.
In attendance were Commissioners Dennis Hansen, Marsha H. Smith and Paul Kjellander and staff members Weldon Stutzman, Brad Purdy, David Scott, Ron Law, Marge Maxwell, Rick Sterling, Terri Carlock, George Fink, Don Howell, Bill Eastlake and Myrna Walters. Ric Gale of Idaho Power Company was also in attendance.
Commission President Dennis Hansen called the decision meeting to order.
First order of business was the Consent Agenda which consisted of four items listed on the published agenda.
Commissioner Kjellander  thanked  Weldon Stutzman for the brief description of what the company was doing, that he set out in his decision memo.
Commissioner Smith made a motion to approve staff recommendation on all four items on the consent agenda; vote was taken; motion carried.
Next item was Item 5 on MATTERS IN PROGRESS
5. Jean Jewell’s March 5, 1999 Decision Memorandum re: Petitions from Idaho Power Customers in the Boise Basin.
Jean reviewed the decision memorandum. Said people from the court house in addition to others, have had a lot of problems with their power,  so petitions were circulated and filed.  Staff wonders if the Commissioners want to proceed informally at this point or open a formal case.
Commissioner Hansen asked for discussion.
Commissioner Smith thought that staff handling it informally for 60 days first was appropriate to see if the situation is serious enough for the Commissioners to get further involved. If the investigation is not productive, Commission can go further.
Commissioner Kjellander commented he thought he heard that Idaho Power Company was doing a pilot program in Idaho City that might also give information on outages.
Jean responded she thought it was remote metering that they were trying out.
Bev Barker added that she thought it was for remote meter reading but would also give feedback on line outages.
Commissioner Kjellander asked if staff would look into that in this informal process.
Rick Gale from Idaho Power came forward to comment on the matter. Said what he thought he heard when he came in was the Commissioners asking that the matter be handled informally first and he indicated that was the Company’s  choice. He then spoke to the remote metering pilot program saying it should provide some information about line reliability also.
Commissioner Smith’s recommendation was before the Commission as a motion; vote was taken; motion carried.
Decision Meeting was then adjourned.
Dated at Boise, Idaho, this 10th day of March, 1999.
Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary