20040209Kopczynski Direct.pdf

DA VID J. MEYER
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL
A VISTA CORPORATION
O. BOX 3727
1411 EAST MISSION AVENUE
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON 99220-3727
TELEPHONE: [phone]
FACSIMILE: [phone]
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICA nON
OF A VISTA CORPORATION FOR THE
AUTHORITY TO INCREASE ITS RATES
AND CHARGES FOR ELECTRIC AND
NATURAL GAS SERVICE TO ELECTRIC AND
NATURAL GAS CUSTOMERS IN THE STATEOF IDAHO
CASE NO. A VU-04-
CASE NO. A VU-04-
DIRECT TESTIMONY
DON F. KOPCZYNSKI
FOR A VISTA CORPORA nON
(ELECTRIC AND NATURAL GAS)
I. INTRODUCTION
Please state your name, employer and business address.
My name is Don F. Kopczynski and I am employed as the General Manager of
Energy Delivery for Avista Utilities, at 1411 East Mission Avenue, Spokane, Washington.
Would you briefly describe your educational background and
professional experience?
Yes. Prior to joining the Company in 1979, I earned a Bachelor of Science
Degree in Engineering from the University ofIdaho. I have also earned a Master s Degree in
Business Management from Washington State University and a Master s Degree in
Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University.Over the past 24 years I have spent
approximately 14 years in Energy Delivery, managing Engineering, various aspects of
Operations, and Customer Service. In addition, I spent three years managing the Energy
Resources Department, including Power Supply, Generation and Production, and Natural Gas
Supply.More recently, I worked in the areas of Corporate business analysis and
development, and served in a variety of leadership roles in subsidiary operations for A vista
Corp. I was appointed General Manager of Energy Delivery in 2003. I serve on several
boards of directors including the University of Idaho Research Park and the Second Harvest
Food Bank.
What is the scope of your testimony?
I will provide an overview of the Company s natural gas and electric
distribution facilities, operations, and customer programs in Idaho.I will also discuss
significant investments being made in the Company s electric transmission system, and
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
describe our continuing focus on vegetation management. Lastly, I will discuss the factors
driving the need for the pro forma adjustments proposed in this case for both programs.
Are you sponsoring exhibits in this proceeding?
Yes. I am sponsoring Exhibit No. 12, which was prepared under my direction.
II. OVERVIEW OF A VISTA'S ENERGY DELIVERY SERVICE
Please provide an overview of the customers served by A vista Utilities in
Idaho.
As of December 31 , 2003, the Company served 109 315 electric customers
and 61 799 natural gas customers in the five northern counties of Idaho. Avista s largest
electric customer in Idaho is the Potlatch Corporation s Lewiston facility, with an annual
usage of approximately 870 million kWh.The Company anticipates residential and
commercial electric load growth to average between 2.0 and 2.5 percent annually for the next
four years, primarily due to expected increases in both population and the number of
businesses in its service territory. While the number of electric customers is expected to
increase, the average annual usage by residential customers is not expected to change
significantly. For the next four years, Avista expects natural gas load growth to average
between 4.0 and 4.5% annually in its Idaho and Washington service territories. The natural
gas load growth is primarily due to expected conversions from electric and oil space heat and
electric water heating to natural gas, and increases in both population and the number of
businesses in Avista s service territory.
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
Please describe the Company s electric and natural gas delivery facilities.
Avista Utilities operates a vertically-integrated electric system in Idaho.
addition to the hydroelectric and thermal generating resources described by Mr. ~torro , the
Company has approximately 4 216 miles oflines in the following classes in Idaho: 269 miles
of 230 kV transmission, 603 miles of 115 kV transmission, and 3 342 miles of sub-
transmission and distribution line at a variety of voltages. The predominant distribution
voltage is 13.2 kV. Avista owns and maintains a total of 1,467 miles of natural gas pipelines
in the state ofIdaho, of which 488 miles are steel and 979 miles are polyethylene.
Please describe the Company s operations centers that support electric
and gas customers in Idaho.
The Company has construction offices in Grangeville, Orofino, Lewiston-
Clarkston, Moscow-Pullman, Kellogg, St. Maries, Coeur d' Alene, Sandpoint and Bonner
Ferry, and customer contact center operations in Lewiston and Coeur d'Alene. Avista s four
customer contact centers in Coeur d' Alene, Lewiston, Spokane, and Medford, Oregon are
networked, allowing the full pool of regular and part-time employees to respond to customer
calls in all jurisdictions.
What construction and maintenance programs does the Company have in
place to maintain gas and electric facilities?
A vista Utilities utilizes Company seasonal and regular crews for gas and
electric construction, including new and reconstructed lines, damage repair, and connecting
new customers.The Company employs contract crews and temporary and part-time
employees to meet customer needs during the peak construction season. The company also
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
has several maintenance programs to ensure the reliability of our electric and gas
infrastructure, including underground cable replacement, wood pole inspection and
replacement, vegetation management, electric transmission line inspection and rebuild
substation inspection, valve and regulator station maintenance, atmospheric corrosion
protection, leak survey, and an array of programs directed toward the inspection
maintenance, repair and replacement of specific pieces of gas and electric distribution
equipment.
Please explain the customer service programs that Avista provides for its
customers in Idaho.
A vista Utilities offers a number of programs for its Idaho customers such as
energy efficiency programs, Project Share for emergency assistance to customers, a CARES
program, level pay plans, and payment arrangements. Some of these programs will serve to
mitigate the impact on customers of the proposed rate increase.
Please describe Avista Utilities' conservation, or energy efficiency,
programs.
For the past eight years, Avista Utilities ' energy efficiency programs in Idaho
have provided for the consistent delivery of comprehensive conservation services. A vista
Utilities offers energy efficiency services to residential, commercial, and industrial
customers. Programs include audits or direct incentives for residential weatherization, high-
efficiency furnaces and water heaters, and commercial qualifying gas-efficiency projects.
2003 , the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) awarded Avista its
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
Recognition of Achievement Certificate" for its gas efficiency programs. The ACEEE had
recognized Avista s electric HV AC rooftop program with a similar award in 2002.
Please describe the recent results of the Company s Project Share
efforts?
Project Share is a voluntary contribution option allowing customers to include
donations that are distributed through community action agencies to customers in need.
A vista Utilities has consistently had relatively high per-customer contributions when
compared to other utilities with Project Share programs. Avista Utilities customers donated
$320 661 on system basis in 2003 of which $127 226 was directed to Idaho Community
Action Agencies. The Company contributed an additional $60 000 to Idaho in 2003.
Does the Company offer a bill averaging program?
Yes. Comfort Level Billing is the Company s option for customers to pay the
same bill amount each month of the year. This allows customers to more easily budget for
energy bills and it also avoids higher winter bills. This program has been well-received by
participating customers. Approximately 14 000 Idaho customers are on Comfort Level
Billing.
In addition, the Company s Contact Center Representatives work with customers to
set up payment arrangements to pay energy bills. In 2002, 31 773 Idaho customers were
provided with over 91 500 such payment arrangements.
Please summarize Avista s CARES program.
In Idaho, Avista is currently working with over 750 special needs customers
in the CARES (Customer Assistance Referral and Evaluation Service) program. Specially
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
trained representatives provide referrals to area agencies and churches for customers with
special needs for help with housing, utilities, medical assistance, etc. In 2002, over 7 300
Idaho customers received $1 700 000 in various forms of energy assistance (Federal LIHEAP
program, Project Share, and local community funds). This program and the partnerships we
have formed have been invaluable to customers who often have nowhere else to go for help.
What has been Avista s experience with customer service automation?
Customers are able to access Avista s Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
system for automated transactions such as:
Entering their own payment arrangements (52 000 system wide in 2002)
Reporting outages and listening to automated outage messages (80 000
messages spoken in 2002)
Conducting other business such as obtaining account balances and requesting
a duplicate bill (over 92 000 customers obtained their account balance in
2002).
Our goal is to provide convenient options to our customers. The IVR is available 7
days a week/24 hours a day. Many customers would rather use automation than speak to an
agent. (Over 28% of all callers used the automated system without speaking to a customer
service agent in 2002). In addition to customer convenience, we are able to offset labor costs
by use of the IVR. In 2002, we would have needed an additional 16 full-time representatives
to handle the automated volume (adding as much as $500 000 in costs). Total call volume
(including automated transactions) has gone from one million calls in 2000 to 1.4 million in
2003.
In addition, Avista s "Net Reps" responded to over four times the amount of e-mails
in 2003 compared to 2000, which is an indicator that internet contact is gaining popularity.
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
The number of E-Bill customers has increased three times over 2001. Customers enjoy the
easy, convenient options available with this service.
Please provide some examples of Avista s community involvement in
north Idaho?
Our employees have been very active in civic and community activities. For
example, recently Company employees:
were Bronze Sponsors of the American Cancer Society s 2003 Relay for Life
in Coeur d' Alene;
assisted in gathering 3,200 pounds of personal care items for the Coeur
d' Alene and Post Falls food bank;
received certificates of appreciation from Habitat for Humanity and the City
of Pinehurst; and
were awarded the Business of the Month for October 2003 from the Wallace
Chamber of Commerce.
III. MAJOR TRANSMISSION PROJECTS
Please briefly describe Avista s Transmission upgrade projects.
Avista s transmission plan will add over 100 circuit miles of new 230 kV
transmission line to its system and will increase the capacity of another 50 miles of
transmission line.Also, Avista is constructing two new 230 kV substations and is
reconstructing three existing transmission substations.Related projects at six 230
substations are necessary to meet capacity requirements, upgrade protective relaying systems
and to meet regional and national reliability standards. In total, A vista will perform work in
eleven of its thirteen 230 kV substations or 85% of its system.
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
11-
What are the most significant projects Avista is undertaking?
The most significant projects are described below. Each of these projects are
shown on the map in Exhibit No. 12.
Beacon-Rathdrum 230: Avista is reconstructing 25 miles of transmission
line between Rathdrum, ill and Spokane W A. This project includes
reconstructing the Rathdrum 230 kV substation in Idaho.
Dry Creek: Avista is constructing a new 230 kV substation near Clarkston
W A that will enable existing transmission lines to form a ring around the
Lewiston, ill and Clarkston, W A area which will serve load and improve
reliability by reducing congestion during peak energy flows.
Spokane Valley Reinforcement: Avista is adding 500 MW of230 kV to 115
kV transformation capability to serve customers in eastern Washington and
Northern Idaho.
Pinecreek Substation: Avista recently completed the reconstruction of this
230 kV facility located in Pinehurst, ID.
Palouse Reinforcement: Avista plans to construct 60 miles of 230 kV
transmission line between the Benewah and Shawnee substations to relieve
congestion on the existing Benewah-Moscow 230 kV line and to provide an
alternant source of power to the Shawnee Substation. The Benewah
Substation will be upgraded to increase its capacity and service reliability.
Beacon-Bell 230: Avista is uprating the capacity on these lines from 400 to
800 MV A to prevent overloads between Avista and BPA's largest substations
in Spokane, W A by reconductoring the existing lines.
What are the expected costs of these upgrades?
The overall cost of these transmission projects is estimated to be $100 million.
In this filing the Company has included the cost of three projects with near term completion
dates. These three projects are Pine Creek 230, Beacon-Rathdrum 230, and Beacon-Bell 230
at a system cost estimated to be $26.3 million. Mr. Falkner has included the Idaho allocated
cost of approximately $9 million in his revenue requirement analysis.
Kopczynski, Di
Avista Corporation
What is A vista doing to minimize the cost and environmental impact of
these projects?
Wherever possible, Avista is committed to upgrading existing transmission
lines and using existing corridors rather than building new lines. This reduces the impact to
the environment and to property owners and other stakeholders. With regard to substations at
Rathdrum, Dry Creek and Boulder, the Company believes it has achieved the right blend of
reliability, cost and operational flexibility for now and into the foreseeable future.
Are these projects coordinated with BPA's projects in the region?
Yes. In August of 2002, A vista entered into an agreement with BP A known as
the West of Hatwai letter agreement. Avista s plan to upgrade its 230 kV facilities supports
and enhances BPA's 500 kV project to construct a transmission line between Grand Coulee
Dam and Bell Substation in North Spokane. By working together, both A vista and BP A have
achieved a least cost plan of service that addresses commercial, load service and regional
reliability issues.
This plan has been reviewed by peer utilities and approved by other Northwest
transmission owners and by utility members of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council
(WECC).The Northwest Power Pool Transmission Planning Committee agreed that a
blended plan of Avista s and BPA's stand-alone plans was the best plan. Avista and BPA
continue to coordinate, plan and schedule construction activities to minimize the security and
reliability issues during this transmission expansion phase.
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
What are the Western Electricity Coordinating Council's and the North
American Electricity Reliability Council's (NERC) roles in upgrading Avista
transmission s system
WECC and NERC are the governing bodies that assign the transmission
transfer capacity for all cutplanes in the western United States. They also establish planning
and operating standards that member systems must adhere to in order to maintain reliability
throughout the western interconnection. A vista and BP A are currently working through the
WECC three-phase rating process to determine a new transfer limit for the West of Hatwai
cutplane. This process demands considerable analysis of how these additions operate in
conjunction with the bulk transmission system throughout the western interconnection
(western United States as well as a portion of Canada and Mexico).
What is the West of Hatwai cutplane and what is its effect on regional
reliability?
The West of Hatwai cutplane or "transfer path" is identified by WECC as the
combination of transmission lines that are crossed by a line drawn from BP A's Grand Coulee
Bell 230 kV line corridor extending southward to the Lewiston-Clarkston area encompassing
Avista s 230 kV lines to Wanapum (Pacificorp/Scottish Power) and Oxbow (Idaho Power).
It is shown as Path #6 on WECC's map of principal transmission lines. West ofHatwai has a
path rating of 2800 MW and is continuously monitored by BPA and Avista to ensure that
scheduled and real time power flows do not exceed the path rating. Typically, the generation
output of hydropower during the spring runoff combines with light load conditions which
increases loading on West of Hatwai up to the path rating. Recent load reductions at Kaiser
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
Mead, Columbia Falls, and the Addy mine have increased loading on these transmission
facilities. Avista has deployed numerous short-term operational strategies to maximize the
amount of transmission available across the cutplane. Continued reliance on these short-term
strategies could have a long-term adverse impact on reliability if A vista and BP A do not
construct the planned facilities.
Has Avista used any operational strategies to defer the expansion of
transmission facilities?
Yes. As mentioned earlier, Avista has used several short-term strategies to
defer the expansion. These include efforts in demand side management, fuel switching to
natural gas, thermally uprating several 230 kV transmission lines, installing numerous
thermal relay protection schemes, and operating its 115 kV system in an open, radial system.
Under a radial scheme, transmission lines are "sectionalized" by control and communication
to specific switches and operating these switches in a normally open configuration. Thus
load can be served from transformers in a manner that if one line section suffers an outage
the outage is isolated to that sectionalized portion of the line. This reduces both the length of
the outage and the number of customers effected by the outage. Since February of 2000
Avista radialized its 115 kV network to prevent bulk transfer across that system associated
with outages on parallel path 230 kV and 500 kV transmission lines. This has made the 115
kV lines primarily a load service system and has created additional capacity and reduced
customer outages for most end-use customers. This has reduced transmission losses by 15-
aMW and has increased reliability to customers as well as reducing the amount of time for
restoration.
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
Has the loss ofload in the aluminum industry had any impact on Avista
transmission projects?
Yes. As noted earlier, the loss of the Mead Aluminum smelter load in
Spokane combined with the reductions at the Columbia Falls smelter in Columbia Falls
Montana and the Addy Mine Works in Addy, Washington have added significantly to the
congestion and potential system overloads across the West of Hatwai cutplane. This loss
load on BPA's system has increased the use of transmission on both BPA's and Avista
networked systems. The existing transmission system was developed to accommodate these
large loads in the eastern Washingtonlnorthern Idaho/western Montana area. The absence of
these large loads has increased the burden on the surrounding transmission network, which is
now transferring this power west to the Interstate 5 corridor in western Washington and
Oregon.
Have the efforts to form Regional Transmission Organizations affected
Avista s plans for transmission projects?
No. Although A vista is actively engaged in the effort to form a regional
transmission organization (RTO), Avista s transmission upgrade plan is required to serve
load on Avista s system and is being coordinated with other regional transmission upgrade
efforts.Avista is proceeding with its transmission upgrade plan irrespective of RTO
development efforts, because there are immediate capacity and reliability issues that must be
addressed proactively.
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
Has Avista involved communities and landowners in these projects?
Yes. Avista has a long history of seeking public input when planning and
siting transmission lines and substation facilities.The vast majority of community
involvement is conducted voluntarily outside the permitting and regulatory process. In fact
Avista believes that incorporating public input enhances these projects.
IV. VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
Please provide an overview of the Company s vegetation management
program.
Vegetation management, or "tree-trimming,reduces customer outages
improves safety, and enhances system reliability. Scheduled and ongoing prevention of
growing tree limbs making contact with distribution and transmission wires reduces future
costs of responding to a series of outages from storm damage. A vista Utilities has a
comprehensive and professionally-staffed vegetation management program to ensure facility
rights-of-way are maintained in alignment with national utility vegetation management work
practices. The program is managed by a system forester, who is also a Certified Arborist and
a Certified Utility Specialist, a Forester and a Forestry Field Specialist. The maintenance of
rights-of-way is both cycle- and time-based, providing a systematic treatment for all
applicable facilities throughout the service territory. The Company s vegetation management
approach is integrated, meaning that a variety of management techniques are selected to
provide a least-cost treatment for specific sites, based on terrain, line construction and
voltage, and customer considerations.
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
What standards does the Company use to guide the treatment of rights-
of-way?
The Company s vegetation management program operates in compliance with
Section 218 of the National Electric Safety Code. Additionally, Avista complies with both
ANSI A-300 for Tree Care Operations - Tree, Shrub, and Other Woody Plant Maintenance-
Standard Practices, and ANSI Z133.1 - Pruning, Trimming, Repairing and Maintaining, and
Removing Trees and Cutting Brush - Safety Requirements. The Company also maintains
compliance with all OSHA and State safety and work-practice requirements.
What is Integrated Vegetation Management?
Integrated Vegetation Management is the practice of applying a variety of
management techniques to move, over the longer term, toward a stable, low-growing plant
community that does not interfere with overhead lines, pose a fire hazard, or affect
accessibility. This approach involves the forester making an on-site assessment of each
circuit as scheduled (i.e. the circuit isn t simply trimmed at its appointed cycle time, but a
complete assessment is made to refine the appropriate prescription for treatment application).
The assessment includes current vegetation type and composition, vegetation condition, and
reviews of environmental requirements, line voltage, type of line construction, line loading,
and the criticality of circuit customers (e., hospitals, etc.). Specific treatment work is then
prescribed, which could include pruning, tree removals, right-of-way clearing, danger-tree
removal, and/or application of herbicide or tree growth regulator.The combination of
treatments is designed to meet Avista s multiple vegetation management objectives
including reliability, specific customer considerations, and at the least cost.
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
In addition to Integrated Vegetation Management what efforts has A vista
Utilities made to drive work-practice efficiencies into the program?
In the past several years the Company has moved to make vegetation
management programs more efficient through the development of expertise and deployment
of strategies using both herbicides, and more recently, tree-growth regulator. Both of these
treatments can provide a lower-cost solution than conventional trimming, or more
importantly, help manage vegetation where trimming and tree removal are not effective
options. The Company has tree trimming contract crews to gain efficiencies. Contract crews
have larger and more diverse equipment pools to draw on, achieve efficiency through job-site
reporting, can be staffed to follow the seasonal nature of the workload, and keep more of a
craft-competency focus. At the same time, contract employees receive the same customer
training as Avista employees, generally live in our Idaho and Washington service territories
and have long-term relationships with the Company. The Company has also instituted the
use of right-of-way clearing machinery and off-road trimming vehicles, and has varied crew
compliment and size to better match the type of work.
Why is vegetation management an important operations program for
Avista?
Effective management of rights-of-way vegetation allows the Company to
provide safe and reliable electric service to our customers, at a reasonable cost. Maintenance
of appropriate clearances minimizes instantaneous disruptions to customer service, and
effective management of "danger trees" in and near the right-of-way reduces the risk of line
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
outage and damage to facilities.Appropriate management of vegetation also protects
customers, emergency workers, and A vista line and tree personnel.
What is the advantage of approaching vegetation management on a
systematic, cycle basis?
Setting appropriate cycle times for each circuit reduces costs of maintenance
over time. There is an optimal time period for such circuit rotation that we seek to achieve.
Importantly, the cycle time is not the same for each circuit, but is tailored to specific
conditions, including moisture, soil type, vegetation composition and condition, accessibility
and customer considerations. A vista s cycle length ranges from two to eight years, with an
average of four years for most residential communities. Throughout the 1990', when this
comprehensive vegetation management program was initiated efforts focused on
reclaiming" rights-of-way, where tree removal rates averaged 45%.After the initial
reclamation, ongoing maintenance costs tend to be lower when applied on a more regular
interval. Avista s electric circuits were in very good condition in the late 1990', from a
vegetation management perspective, which allowed the Company to maintain satisfactory
levels of customer reliability through the emergency funding reductions that occurred during
the difficult financial circumstances faced by A vista, caused by the western energy crisis.
How does the Company s vegetation management program interface with
customers and the community?
A vista actively encourages the planting of compatible trees under power lines
as an educational effort to avoid future maintenance costs. We participate in the Idaho
Urban and Community Forestry Program as co-sponsors of Arbor Day tree planting grants
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
while promoting responsible tree planting near power lines. We work with towns and cities
to remove tall growing trees from under powerlines and replant vegetation with appropriate
low growing species. Our System Forester gives educational talks to neighborhood groups
service clubs and professional organizations about vegetation and how to avoid tree-wire
conflicts.
Please explain why the Company is proposing an increase in vegetation
management costs over the costs included in the 2002 test period.
As described by Company witnesses Morris and Malquist, the Company
entered a period of extreme financial stress beginning in early 2001. All budgets were
reviewed for cost reductions. The vegetation management program had benefited from
consistent previous attention and some aspects of the 2001 and 2002 cycle-basis could be
temporarily deferred without significant consequences to customers' or Company facilities.
What is the proforma adjustment for vegetation management in this
case?
The Idaho jurisdictional adjustment, as included in Mr. Falkner s testimony, is
$1.2 million. In that adjustment we have taken the annual vegetation management projects
scheduled for 2004 through 2007, and calculated a levelized amount. The work was broken
out between distribution and transmission. We also included an average amount for the work
that had been temporarily deferred. The sum of those amounts was ultimately compared to
the actual vegetation management expenditures during 2002.
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation
Has Avista s electric system reliability been unduly affected due to the
short-term reduction in activity and funding levels during 2001 and 2002?
No.The Company maintained its vegetation management program in
manner that continued to allow the identification and appropriate response for areas that
required immediate attention. The Company s vegetation management program was not
eliminated, but temporarily maintained at a lower level which considered appropriate levels
of reliability and safety.
Does this conclude your prefiled direct testimony?
Yes.
Kopczynski, Di
A vista Corporation