27852.docx

(text box: 1)BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION)
OF THE WASHINGTON WATER POWER)CASE NO.  WWP-E-98-11
COMPANY FOR AN ORDER APPROVING)
INCREASED RATES AND CHARGES FOR)ORDER NO. 27852
ELECTRIC SERVICE IN THE STATE OF)
IDAHO.)
                                                                                 )
On December 18, 1998, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (Commission) received an Application from The Washington Water Power Company (Water Power) requesting approval of revised rates and charges for electric service in the state of Idaho to be effective January 22, 1999.  The overall increase in annual revenue requested is $14,223,000, an increase of 11.56%.  The amount of the actual percentage increase varies by class of customer and by usage.
After reviewing the Application in Case No. WWP-E-98-11, the Commission makes the following Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law and enters its Order as follows:
FINDINGS OF FACT
The Washington Water Power Company has submitted proposed schedules of rates and charges for electric service in Idaho to become effective on and after January 22, 1999.
The Commission will be unable to consider the Application within thirty (30) days of its filing because of other demands on the Commission's time and because of the complexity of the evidence and issues presented by the Application.  The Application is of sufficient importance to require the Commission's investigation of the reasonableness of the proposed rates and charges.
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission has jurisdiction over The Washington Water Power Company and its Application in Case No. WWP-E-98-11 pursuant to Idaho Code, Title 61,  and the Commission’s Rules of Procedure, IDAPA 31.01.01.000 et seq..
The Commission has authority under §61-622, Idaho Code, to suspend the rates which are the subject of this Application for a period of thirty (30) days plus five (5) months from the proposed effective date, January 22, 1999.
It is necessary to suspend the proposed rates for a period of thirty (30) days plus five (5) months from January 22, 1999 to allow the Commission to hear the evidence to be presented in this matter and to consider and determine the issues presented by the Application.
O  R  D  E  R
      In consideration of the foregoing and as more particularly described above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the proposed schedules of rates and charges for electric service in Case No. WWP-E-98-11 should be and hereby are suspended for a period of thirty (30) days plus five (5) months from January 22, 1999, or until such time as the Commission enters an Order accepting, rejecting or modifying the Application in this matter.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho, this      day of December 1998.
                                                                                                                                      DENNIS S. HANSEN, PRESIDENT
                                                                                           RALPH NELSON, COMMISSIONER

MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:

Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary
vld/O:WWP-E-98-11.sw
COMMENTS AND ANNOTATIONS
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Service Date
December 30, 1998