28078.doc

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF THE WASHINGTON WATER POWER COMPANY (NOW AVISTA CORPORATION DBA AVISTA UTILITIES—WASHINGTON WATER POWER DIVISION) FOR AN ORDER APPROVING INCREASED RATES AND CHARGES FOR ELECTRIC SERVICE IN THE STATE OF IDAHO.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
CASE NO. WWPE9811

ORDER NO. 28078

On December 18, 1998, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (Commission) received an Application from The Washington Water Power Company (now Avista Corporation dba Avista Utilities—Washington Water Power Division; Avista; Company) in Case No. WWPE-98-11 requesting approval of increased rates and charges for electric service in the state of Idaho.
A technical and public hearing in Case No. WWP-E-98-11 was held in Sandpoint, Idaho on June 8-9, 1999. On the initial date of hearing, June 8, 1999, two faxed petitions were logged in by the Commission Secretary in Case No. WWP-E-98-11. The initial petition is signed by approximately 38 Avista customers in Lewiston, Idaho, protesting the proposed increase and requesting a hearing in Lewiston for customers in the southern end of Avista’s service territory. The petitioners contend that scheduling only a single hearing in Sandpoint in a general rate case is unfair.
A second petition signed by 24 Avista customers is a general protest from fixed income senior citizens in the Lewiston Senior Nutrition Program.

COMMISSION FINDINGS
The Commission has reviewed and considered the filings of record in Case No. WWP-E-98-11 including the June 8, 1999 petition filed by Lewiston customers requesting an additional hearing in Lewiston, and the Commission’s own Notices and Orders in this case. The Commission notes that the initial Notice of Application in this matter was issued December 30, 1998. Notice of the June 8-9 Sandpoint hearing was issued on February 4, 1999. We note further that the statutory decision date in this case (without further suspension) is July 21, 1999. Reference Idaho Code 61-622.
We find that the Commission’s calendar and the decision timeline in this case do not permit the scheduling of an additional public hearing. We note that the Commission has received in excess of 250 petitions, letters and/or e-mail comments from Avista customers in this case, nearly all in opposition to the Company’s proposed increase. A great many of the filed customer comments are from customers residing in the southern-most reaches of the Company’s service area.
While we certainly do not discount the value of live testimony from the stand, we question whether anything further regarding the Company’s Idaho service territory, its depressed timber, mining and agricultural industries, and the level of poverty, unemployment and underemployment including the impact of the proposed increase on customers could be added.
Again, although we acknowledge the petitioners concern and desire to be heard in this matter, we regret that scheduling another hearing is procedurally impractical. To the extent that individual petitioners have not fully expressed their position in the preamble to the petition, we urge them to file a written letter with the Commission more completely expressing their concerns and comments.

O R D E R
In consideration of the foregoing and as more particularly described above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the petition of Lewiston customers filed with the Commission on June 8, 1999, requesting an additional hearing in Case No. WWP-E-98-11 in Lewiston, Idaho is hereby denied.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this _______ day of June 1999.

DENNIS S. HANSEN, PRESIDENT

MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER

PAUL KJELLANDER, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary

vld/O:WWP-E-98-11_ws4

ORDER NO. 28078 1

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
June 23, 1999