20060816order_no_30115.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
August 16, 2006
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
JANE ROBINSON,
CASE NO. INT-06-
COMPLAINANT,
INTERMOUNTAIN GAS COMPANY ORDER NO. 30115
RESPONDENT.
In February 2006, Jane Robinson made an informal complaint against Intermountain
Gas Company disputing the amount of natural gas consumed at her Boise residence during the
2005-2006 winter heating season. IDAPA 31.01.01.021. Attempts to resolve the informal
complaint were not successful. Having exhausted her informal complaint remedy, Ms. Robinson
filed a "formal" complaint against Intermountain Gas on April 13, 2006. IDAP A 31.01.01.024.
The Commission issued a summons directing Intermountain Gas to answer the
Complaint. On July 19 2006, the Company filed a timely Answer. Ms. Robinson did not file a
reply. Based upon our initial review of the Complaint and Answer, we find there are material
facts which are not contained in the record. Consequently, we direct the parties to supplement
the record as set out below.
THE COMPLAINT
This past winter, Ms. Robinson used firewood in her house so that she "wouldn'
have gigantic heating bills from Intermountain Gas Company." Complaint at 1. Ms. Robinson
intended to bum firewood in a freestanding fireplace instead of heating her home only with her
natural gas furnace. After she received the January 2006 bill from Intermountain Gas, she called
the Company to dispute the reported amount of natural gas consumed during the billing cycle
and her consumption for the prior months of the winter heating season. In her formal complaint
Ms. Robinson asked for a partial refund on the paid November, December and January bills and
adjustments to the unpaid bills of February 2006 to the present. fd. at 4.
In response to the Complaint, the Company performed a diagnostic inspection on her
natural gas-fired furnace and water heater in March 2006. As part of the inspection, her natural
gas meter was removed and replaced. The old meter was tested, and according to the Company,
ORDER NO. 30115
was "found to be accurate." Answer at 1. In its Answer, Intermountain Gas asserted that Ms.
Robinson owes the Company a total of$916.67 - $470.98 before the meter change and $445.
after the meter change. The Company claimed Ms. Robinson has not made any payments after
the January 2006 bill (for service between November 18 and December 20 , 2005). fd. at 2.
DISCUSSION
Based upon our initial review of this matter, we find that the record does not contain
essential facts for us to address the merits of the Complaint. In particular, neither party has
provided evidence in this formal proceeding of the monthly natural gas usage and charges for
last winter s heating season to the present. In addition, neither party has provided any data
showing historical gas usage at the Robinson residence during prior winter heating seasons.
Consequently, we direct the parties to supplement the record.
Intermountain Gas shall supplement its Answer with relevant information showing
the monthly gas usage and charges for the 2005-2006 winter season to the present. The
Company shall also provide at least three years of monthly usage data and Heating Degree Day
(HDD) data for the Robinson residence as referred to in its Answer. The Company shall file the
requested information and may submit other relevant evidence within seven (7) days of the
service date of this Order.
Ms. Robinson may submit her own data and/or comments on the Company s data
within 21 days from the service date ofthis Order. This will afford her approximately two weeks
to reply. The Commission will then consider the record closed and will complete its
deliberations on this matter.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Intermountain Gas Company submit additional
information showing monthly usage and charges from the 2005-2006 winter heating season to
the present; historical gas usage by month and HDD data correlated to the monthly billing
periods for at least three years; and other relevant evidence no later than seven (7) days from the
service date ofthis Order.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Ms. Robinson shall have twenty-one (21) days
from the service date of this Order to file her supplemental data and/or reply to Intermountain
Gas s supplemental materials.
ORDER NO. 30115
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this
/(;.
f/1
day of August 2006.
PAUL KJELLA DER, PRESIDENT
MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER
a~~6ENNIS S. H , CO MISSIONER
ATTEST:
€l!EJe D. Jewell
C mmlssion Secretary
bls/O:INT-06-02
ORDER NO. 30115