20000908sw.doc

DECISION MEMORANDUM

TO: COMMISSIONER HANSEN
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
MYRNA WALTERS
RON LAW
LOUANN WESTERFIELD
TONYA CLARK
DON HOWELL
DAVE SCHUNKE
RANDY LOBB
RICK STERLING
WORKING FILE
FROM:
DATE:
SEPTEMBER 8, 2000 RE: CASE NO. AVU-G-00-02 (Avista)
NATURAL GAS INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN (IRP) — YEAR 2000

On July 20, 2000, Avista Corporation, dba Avista Utilities—Washington Water Power Division (Avista; Company) filed its year 2000 natural gas Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (Commission). The Company’s filing complies with the Commission’s direction in Order No. 25342, Case No. GNR-G-93-02 (reference PURPA Section 303(b)(3), Energy Policy Act of 1992). Pursuant to the Commission’s Order the Company is required to file every two years. The Company was granted an extension in Order No. 27636 to postpone its scheduled February 1999 natural gas IRP filing until February 2000, and was informally granted further extension to August 1, 2000.
Integrated Resource Planning, the Company states, is a comprehensive, long-range planning tool that fully integrates forecasted energy requirements with potential energy resources. The process determines the most cost-effective means for the Company to meet those projected requirements.
Unlike the previous versions of the Company’s Integrated Resource Plan, the 2000 Integrated Resource Plan is not separated for Washington/Idaho and Oregon, but is presented, the Company states, in a combined format to provide the reader with an overall view of the Company’s total natural gas operations and planning processes. In addition to Idaho, the Company’s IRP is filed with the regulatory authorities in Washington and Oregon.
Avista’s 2000 natural gas IRP addresses the following subject areas: natural gas sales forecast, demand side management, supply side resources, distribution planning, integrated resource portfolio, public involvement and action plan. The IRP is available for review at the Commission in Boise and at the Idaho offices of Avista.
Commission Decision
Staff recommends that the Commission issue a Notice of Filing in Case No. AVUG00-02 and solicit comment on the Company’s natural gas IRP filing. Does the Commission agree with Staff’s proposed procedure? If not, what is the Commission’s preference?

vld/M:AVU-G-00-02_sw