20021015_296.pdf

TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
DECISION MEMORANDUM
COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
CO MMISSI 0 NER SMITH
CO MMISSI 0 NER HANSEN
JEAN JEWELL
RON LAW
BILL EASTLAKE
LOU ANN WESTERFIELD
DON HOWELL
RANDY LOBB
RICK STERLING
DAVE SCHUNKE
TONYA CLARK
BEV BARKER
GENE FADNESS
WORKING FILE
LISA NORDSTROM
OCTOBER 10, 2002
IN THE MATTER OF THE PACIFICORP APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL
OF CHANGES TO THE RULES AND CHARGES FOR TEMPORARY
SERVICE CONNECTION FACILITIES, CASE NO. PAC-02-
On October 3, 2002, PacifiCorp filed an Application seeking approval of certain
changes to its Electric Service Schedule Nos. 14 and 300 and Electric Service Regulation No. 12
concerning temporary service connection facilities. The Company requested that these proposed
revisions become effective December 4, 2002.
THE APPLICATION
PacifiCorp s Application proposed that it no longer serve as the supplier of temporary
service connection facilities in its Idaho service territory. This would close Schedule 14 to new
service. In 2001 , the Company received 334 requests for temporary power installations and 298
temporary power installations are currently in service.
The Company based its proposal on the fact that temporary service connection
facilities are readily available at home improvement stores and can be obtained easily by
customers or contractors as needed. Purchasing and warehousing temporary service facilities in
order to have a supply available for lease creates unnecessary costs and an administrative burden
DECISION MEMORANDUM
for the Company. Moreover, the Company does not provide temporary service connection
facilities in any other state in its service territory.Utah and Wyoming eliminated the
requirement to provide temporary service facilities in the late 1990s. PacifiCorp indicated that
neither Avista Utilities nor Idaho Power offer this service in the State of Idaho. The Company
also noted that the State of Idaho, Division of Building Safety, imposed new requirements for
suppliers of temporary service connection facilities on June 26, 2002, which would add
additional costs to the Company.
The majority of the Company s customers who request temporary service facilities
are contractors. PacifiCorp stated that the Company is in the process of communicating with
Idaho contractors it has worked with in the past to inform them of this Application. In some
areas, local contractors are already supplying their own temporary services, as PacifiCorp s does
not meet their needs.
The Company also proposed to increase the $45 charge for connection and
disconnection of temporary service facilities to $85 for single phase and $115 for three-phase
service. The Company estimated that the cost of connecting and disconnecting service ranges
from $81 to $233 , as the time ranges from one to three hours. The Company argued that the
existing charge for this service is considerably less than the cost of providing this service.
PacifiCorp further asserted that this proposed charge is consistent with what the Company
charges for this service in other jurisdictions.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that this case be processed under Modified Procedure with a
standard comment period.
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to process PacifiCorp s Application seeking approval of
certain changes to its Electric Service Schedule Nos. 14 and 300 and Electric Service Regulation
No. 12 under Modified Procedure?
/i
Lj fJA d~ei D. Nordstrom
M:PACEO206 In
DECISION MEMORANDUM