20171026notice_of_modified_procedure_order_no_33922.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
October 26,2017
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE 2017-2021 )CASE NO.INT-G-17-04
INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN OF )INTERMOUNTAIN GAS COMPANY )NOTICE OF
)MODIFIED PROCEDURE
)ORDER NO.33922
On August 4,2017,Intermountain Gas Company (Company)filed its Integrated
Resource Plan (IRP)for the years 2017-2021.The Company files an IRP every two years to
describe the Company's plans to meet its customers'future natural gas needs.The IRP must
discuss the subjects required by Commission Order Nos.25342,27024 and 27098 and Section
303(b)(3)of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA),15 U.S.C.§3202.The
Commission reviews the IRP to ensure that it discusses these subjects and represents a diligent
effort by the Company to plan for the anticipated supply and demand for natural gas.
After the Company filed its IRP,the Commission issued an Order providing Notice of
Filing,setting a deadline for interventions,and directing the parties to confer about a proposed
schedule and report their proposal to the Commission.Order No.33870.No petitions for
intervention were received.
Staff and the Company agreed on a schedule for processing this case,which Staff
proposed to the Commission.With this Order,the Commission adopts the proposed schedule
and notifies the public that this case will be processed via Modified Procedure under Rules 201-
204 of the Commission's Rules of Procedure,IDAPA 31.01.01.201-.204.
BACKGROUND
A natural gas IRP describes a company's plans to meet its customers'future natural
gas needs.In Order No.25342,the Commission adopted IRP requirements for local gas
distribution companies in response to amended Section 303 of PURPA.The Commission
revised the requirements in Order Nos.27024 and 27098.In summary,these Orders direct gas
utilities to file an IRP every two years that includes:
1.A forecast of future gas demand for each customer class;
2.An analysis of gas supply options for each customer class;
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDER NO.33922 1
3.A comparative analysis of gas purchasing options,and an explanation of
whether there are cost-effective Demand-Side Management (DSM)
opportunities;
4.The integration of the demand forecast and resource evaluations into a
long range (at least a five-year)plan describing the strategies designed to
meet current and future needs at the lowest cost to the utility and its
ratepayers;
5.A short-term (e.g.,two-year)plan outlining the specific actions to be taken
by the utility in implementing the IRP;
6.A progress report that relates the new plan to the previously filed plan;and
7.Public participation.
In Order Nos.32855 and 33314,the Commission adopted other requirements relating
to lost and unaccounted for gas reports and avoided cost calculations (and the use of those
calculations in evaluating natural gas DSM opportunities).'The Commission's Notice of Filing
further describes the IRP requirements.See Order No.33870.
THE 201"/-2021 IRP
The Company's 2017-2021 IRP explains the Company regularly forecasts its
customers'gas needs and determines how to best meet those needs.The Company's IRP
represents a snapshot in time of the Company's ongoing planning process;it describes the
anticipated conditions over a five-year planning horizon,the anticipated resource selections,and
the process for making resource decisions.See IRP at 2.
The Company sells natural gas to two major markets:the residential/commercial
market and the industrial market.The Company forecasts changes in its peak-day loads due to
customer growth under base case,high,and low growth economic scenarios,and analyzes five
geographic areas.The Company sees no peak-day delivery deficits over the next five years
when it matches its forecasted peak-daydeliveryagainst its existing resources.Id.at 3-4,5-10.
In summary,the IRP analyzed residential,commercial,and industrial customer
growth and its impact on the Company's distribution system using "design weather conditions
under various scenarios for Idaho's economy."Id.at 11.The Company measured peak-day
delivery under each customer growthscenario against the available natural gas deliverysystems
'Lost and unaccounted for gas is the difference between the amount of natural gas delivered to the Company's
distribution system at the city gate and amount of natural gas ultimately recorded at the customers'meters.
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDER NO.33922 2
to project the magnitude and timing of delivery deficits on a total Company and regional
perspective.The Company analyzed the resources needed to meet any projected deficits within a
framework of options to help determine the most cost-effective means to manage the deficits.
According to the Company,these options allow its core market and firm transportation
customers to rely on uninterrupted service now and for years to come.Id.The Commission's
Notice of Filing provides more detail on the Company's IRP.See Order No.33870.
PARTIES'PROPOSED SCHEDULE
Staff and the Company conferred informally and agreed to the followingschedule
under Modified Procedure:
January 12,2018 Comment deadline
February 2,2018 Company reply deadline
The Commission finds it reasonable to adopt the parties'proposed schedule.
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Commission has determined that the
public interest may not require a formal hearing in this matter and will proceed under Modified
Procedure pursuant to Rules 201 through 204 of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission's Rules
of Procedure,IDAPA 31.01.01.201-204.The Commission notes that Modified Procedure and
written comments have proven to be an effective means for obtaining public input and
participation.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the parties in this matter or any member of
the public desiring to state a position on this IRP may file a written comment in support or in
opposition with the Commission by January 12,2018.IDAPA 31.01.01.202.02.All comments
must contain a statement of reasons supporting the comment.Persons desiring a hearing must
specifically request a hearing in their written comments.Written comments concerning this IRP
filing may be mailed to the Commission and Company at the addresses reflected below:
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDER NO.33922 3
Commission Secretary Michael P.McGrath
Idaho Public Utilities Commission Director -Regulatory Affairs
PO Box 83720 Intermountain Gas Company
Boise,ID 83720-0074 P.O.Box 7608
Boise,ID 83707
Street Address for Express Mail:Email:[e-mail]
472 W.Washington Street
Boise,ID 83702-5918
These comments should contain the case caption and case number shown on the first page of this
document.Persons desiring to submit comments via e-mail may do so by accessing the
Commission's home page located at Click the "Case Comment or Question
Form"under the "Consumers"tab,and complete the form using the case number as it appears on
the front of this document.These comments must also be sent to the Company at the e-mail
address listed above.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company may file reply comments,if
necessary,by February 2,2018.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that if no written comments or protests are
received within the time limit set,the Commission will consider this matter on its merits and
enter its Order without a formal hearing.If written comments are received within the time limit
set,the Commission will consider them and,in its discretion,may set the same for formal
hearing.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that this case be processed under Modified Procedure,
Rule 201-204 (IDAPA 31.01.01.201-.204).Parties and persons interested in submitting
comments must do so by January 12,2018.The Company must file a reply,if any,by February
2,2018.
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDER NO.33922 4
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise,Idaho this
day of October 2017.
PA L KJEL ANÉAfR,PáESIDENT
KRIS lNE RAPER,ÇOMMISSIONER
ERIC ANDERSON,COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:«
Diane M.Hanian
Commission Secretary
I:\Legal\LORDERS\INTGl704 cc2.doc
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDER NO.33922 5