20200618Final_Order_No_34697.pdf

ORDER NO. 34697 1

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
June 18, 2020
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF AVISTA
CORPORATION’S PETITION FOR AN
EXTENSION TO FILE ITS NATURAL
GAS INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN
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CASE NO. AVU-G-20-01

ORDER NO. 34697

On January 15, 2020, Avista Corporation (“Company”) filed a Petition seeking an
extension of the August 31, 2020, filing date for the Company’s Natural Gas Integrated Resource
Plan (“Natural Gas IRP”). The Company requested that its Petition be processed by modified
procedure.
On April 29, 2020, the Commission issued its Notice of Petition, Notice of Modified
Procedure and Order setting comment and reply comment deadlines. The Commission Staff
(“Staff”) submitted the only comments. The Company did not file reply comments.
Having reviewed the record, the Commission grants the Company’s request for an
extension of time to file its Natural Gas IRP.
PETITION
The Company represents there are numerous legislative proposals in Washington and
Oregon that if passed, would have major impacts on natural gas planning, including Washington's
Senate Clean Energy Transformation Act or Senate Bill 5116, Washington House Bills 1257 and
1444, and Oregon Senate Bill 98. Petition at 2. As a result, the Company represents it will take
several months to create and implement final rules and expectations for natural gas distribution
utilities, which will affect the ability to fully realize the impacts on the IRP process. Id. The
Company requests a six-month extension of time, from August 31, 2020, to April 1, 2021, to file
the Company’s Natural Gas IRP. Id. at 1.
STAFF COMMENTS
Staff noted the Washington and Oregon laws have been enacted. Staff recommended
the Commission extend the Company’s deadline to file its Natural Gas IRP to ensure the it can
address how the laws will affect the Company’s long-term resource plan and Idaho customers.
Staff Comments at 2. Staff also noted that, because the Company's 2018 Natural Gas IRP showed
no resource deficits in its expected case scenario, the proposed extension would not hinder the
Company’s ability to plan for future deficits. Id. Last, Staff stated the 2019-2020 IRP Action
ORDER NO. 34697 2

Plan, as described in the 2018 IRP, would not be affected by the proposed extension, and should
continue to be pursued by the Company as it develops its 2020 Natural Gas IRP. Id.
COMMISSION FINDINGS AND DECISION
The Company is a gas corporation and public utility. The Commission has jurisdiction
over the Company and the issues in this case under Title 61 of the Idaho Code. Having reviewed
the record, including the Petition and Staff's comments, the Commission finds the Company's
request for extension of time to file its Natural Gas IRP to be fair, just, and reasonable and thus
grants the Company’s Petition. The Commission grants finds it appropriate to allow the Company
to file the Natural Gas IRP on or before April 1, 2021.
O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Company’s Petition for an extension is granted.
The Company must file its Natural Gas IRP by April 1, 2021.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER. Any person interested in this Order may petition for
reconsideration within twenty-one (21) days of the service date of this Order about any matter
decided in this Order. Within seven (7) days after any person has petitioned for reconsideration,
any other person may cross-petition for reconsideration. See Idaho Code § 61-626.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 18th
day of June 2020.

PAUL KJELLANDER, PRESIDENT

KRISTINE RAPER, COMMISSIONER

ERIC ANDERSON, COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:

Diane M. Hanian
Commission Secretary
I:\Legal\GAS\AVU-G-20-01\orders\AVUG2001_Final_jh.docx