20160318Reply Comments.pdf

Avista Corp.
141 I East Mission P.O. Box 3727
Spokane. Washington 99220-0500
Telephone [phone]
Toll Free 800-727-9170
March 17,2016
State of Idaho
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
472W. Washington St.
Boise,ID 83702-5983
Attention: Ms. Jean Jewell, Secretary
RE: AVU-E-16-01/AVU-G-16-01 Reply Comments of Avista
Dear Ms. Jewell:
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Attached for filing with the Commission is an original and seven (7) copies of Avista
Corporation, doing business as Avista Utilities (*Avista" or "Company'') reply comments related
the Company's proposal for an order authorizing the accounting and ratemaking teafrnent
detailed its Application related to costs the Company will incur by offering a fee-free payment
program for its residential customers to pay by any method, including credit and debit cards. If
you have any questions related to this filing please contact me at [phone].
Sincerely,
Siaarta 8or4&A
Sr. Regulatory Policy Analyst
Avista Utilities
shawn.bonfi eld@avistacorp. com
509-49s-2782
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DAVID J. MEYER
VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF COUNSEL FOR
REGULATORY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
AVISTA CORPORATION
P.O.BOX3727
14I1 EAST MISSION AVENUE
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON 99220.37 27
TELEPHONE: [phone]
david.meyer@ avistacorp.com
ACCOUNTING AND RATEMAKING
TREATMENT OF FEES FOR PAYMENTS )
MADE BY RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS )
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BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION )
OF AVISTA CORPORATION FOR AN ) CASE NO. AVU-E-16-01/
ACCOUNTING ORDER AUTHORZING )AVU-G-16-01
REPLY COMMENTS
OF
AVISTA UTILITIES
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The Company appreciates the thorough review by the Commission Staff of Avista's
proposal for an order authoizing the accounting and ratemaking treatrnent detailed in its
Application related to costs the Company will incur by offering a fee-free payment progftrm for its
residential customers to pay by any method, including credit and debit cards. Avista Corporation
("Avista" or "Company") hereby submits reply comments in response to the Idaho Public Utilities
Commission StafPs ("Staff') comments dated March 14,2016.
25 Avista appreciates the work and review done by Commission Staffand their support of the
26 Company's filing with certain recommendations. The following are the Company's response to
27 the Staff s recommendations:
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AVISTA REPLY COMMENTS PAGE I
1 l. Approve the Company's request for an accounting order allowing deferral and
2 recording of all transaction fees paid by the Company related to offering a fee-free
3 progftrm for payment of bills by its Idaho residential customers until those costs can
4 be recovered through future rates.
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6 RESPONSE: Avista agrees and supports Staffls recommendation.
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8 2. Defer deciding on an amortization period until the Company asks to recover the
9 regulatory asset created by the defenal of transaction fees.
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l1 RESPONSE: Avista agrees with StafPs recommendation that the amortization period to
12 recover the regulatory asset created by the deferral oftransaction fees can and should be
l3 decided at the time the Company seeks recovery of the deferral.
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15 3. Order the Company to directly assign the transaction costs of the fee-free program to
16 each jurisdiction, with fees attributed to Idaho customers being charged to Idaho.
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18 RESPONSE: Avista agrees with Staff that transaction costs incurred should be directly
19 assigned to each state.
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21 4. Require the Company to file a report with the Commission every six months detailing
22 fees incurred and participation rates, as proposed by the Company in its Application.
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24 RESPONSE: Avista agrees with Staff s recommendation to file a report with the Commission
25 every six months detailing fees incurred, as well as participation rates as proposed by the
26 Company in its Application.
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AVISTA REPLY COMMENTS PAGE 2
Again, the Company would like to recognize the work and thorough review of the
Commission Staff regarding its Application.
DATED at Spokane, Washington, this 17th day of March 2016.
AVISTA CORPORATION
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Kelly O. Norwood,
Vice President, State and Federal Regulation
AVISTA REPLY COMMENTS PAGE 3
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VERIFICATION
STATE OF WASHINGTON
County of Spokane
Kelly Norwood, being first duly swom, on oath deposes and says: that he is the Vice
President of State and Federal Regulation for Avista Utilities; that he has read the above and
foregoing Application, knows the contents thereof and believes the same t9 be true.
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SIGNED AND SWORN to before me this 17m day of March 2}l6,by Kelly Norwood.
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Washington, residing at Spokane.
AVISTA REPLY COMMENTS PAGE 4
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
! HEREBY CERTIFY that I have this 17th day of March, 2016, served the foregoing
Reply of Avista Corporation in Docket No. AVU-E-16-001 and AVU-G-16-01 to the
following parties, by mailing a copy thereof, properly addressed with postage prepaid
to:
Jean D Jewell, Secretary
ldaho Public Utilities Commission
472W. Washington
Boise, !D 83720-5983
Jean. iewell@ouc. idaho.oov
Karl Klein
Deputy Attorney General
ldaho Public Utilities Commission
472W. Washington
Boise, lD 83702-0659
Karl. klein@puc. idaho.oov
Curtis Thaden
ldaho Public Utilities Commission
472W. Washington
Boise, lD 83720
curtis.thaden@puc. idaho.qov
Kevin Keyt
ldaho Public Utilities Commission
472W. Washington
Boise, lD 83720
kevin. kevt@puc. idaho.qov
Donn English
ldaho Public Utilities Commission
472W. Washington
Boise, lD 83720
[e-mail]
Manager, Regulatory Policy