20180612Comment.pdf

Diane Holt
From:[e-mail]
Sent:Tuesday,June 12,2018 4:15 PMTo:BeverlyBarker;Diane Holt;Matthew EvansSubject:Case Comment Form:Andrew Scott
Name:Andrew Scott
Case Number:AVU-E-17-09and AVU-G-17-05
Email:[e-mail]
Telephone:[phone]
Address:27091 HWY 41
Blanchard ID,83804
Name of Utility Company:Avista
Comment:Idaho Public Utilities Commission PO box 83720 Boise,ID 83720-0074
RE:Sale of Avista Corporation to Hydro One Limited
Dear Idaho Public Utilities Commission:
I urge you to vote against the proposed merger of Avista Corporation (Avista)and Hydro One Limited (Hydro One),aCanadiangovernmentheldcompany.
I am a 20-year resident of Bonner County,Idaho and have been a customer of Avista and its predecessor,WashingtonWaterPowerforallofthattime.During,Avista's rates have steadily rose,many times with no real Justification providedtoitscustomersastowhy.I believe Avista overall has done a good job of being a utilityand being customer focusedandIattributethistoitscorporateheadquartersandcustomerbasebeinglocatedintheInlandNorthwestunderUnitedStatescourts,regulations,culture and economic strength.I believe we as customers would suffer if a Canadiancompanywithdifferentvalues,morals,financial pressures,currency and culture were allowed to control decisions madeatAvista.Furthermore,I believe the ridiculous bonus being paid to Avista'a CEO sets bad precedence with Avistacustomers.
As a professional aquatic scientist with 30 years of fisheries and water quality experience all over the US and particularlyinthePacificNW,I am gravely concerned with the potentiallegal pressuresand increased control Canada could nowassertonourgreatestresourceinnorthIdahoandeasternWashington:water.If this sale were to be approved,theCanadiangovernment,through the provincial government of Ontario (which holds a 49%interest in Hydro One)andthroughtheprovincialgovernmentofBritishColumbiawillhavealegitimatestrangleholdonourwaters.This could bedonethroughthecontrolofwastersenteringtheClarkForkRiverviaAvista's Noxon and Cabinet Gorge hydro facilitiesandviatheColumbiaRiverbytheColumbiaRiverTreaty.Losing control of our water would insure an ongoing crisis toallresidentsinNorthIdahoandeasternWashington.Idaho must stand strong and be a leader when it comes toprotectingourwater.
Lastly I believe Ontario's stance on coal use and Avista's reliance on coal creates a problem for this merger and for Avistaratepayers.The United States sits on vast reserves of coal which must be utilized to keep power rates affordable.Green power such as wind and solar is very expensive and will never provide the stable grid our country relies upon.ToallowaCanadiancorporationtoshutdownourcoalindustrybecauseofdifferingculturalattitudesandsocialistgovernmentpracticesiswrongandbadforIdahoandWashington.
1
I urge the Idaho Public Utilities Commission to NOT approve this merger.Doing so I believe would be cause lasting
negative impacts to Avista electrical rate payers and would be irresponsible to Idaho citizens.
Sincerely,
Andrew Scott
Aquatic Scientist
Blanchard,ID 83804
Unique Identifier:172.79.99.58