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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20200903Notice_of_Application_Order_No_34771.pdfNOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE ORDER NO. 34771 1 Office of the Secretary Service Date September 3, 2020 BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF INTERMOUNTAIN GAS COMPANY’S APPLICATION FOR AUTHORITY TO IMPLEMENT A COMMERCIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM AND FUNDING MECHANISM ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) CASE NO. INT-G-20-04 NOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE ORDER NO. 34771 On August 3, 2020, Intermountain Gas Company (“Company”) applied for authority to implement a Commercial Energy Efficiency Program and Funding Mechanism. The Company requests that the Application be processed by Modified Procedure and proposes an effective date of October 1, 2020, for the Commercial Energy Efficiency Program, Energy Funding Mechanism, and other changes to associated tariffs, coincident with the effective date of the price change related to the Company’s annual Purchased Gas Cost Adjustment. Id. at 9-10. The Commission now issues this Notice of Application and Notice of Intervention Deadline and suspends the effective date of the proposed Commercial Energy Efficiency Program and Funding Mechanism. NOTICE OF APPLICATION YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Company is a gas utility that sells and distributes natural gas in Idaho. Id. at 3. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the first phase of the Company’s Energy Efficiency Program began on October 1, 2017 and focused on the residential sector. See Order No. 33888. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company represents it has now developed the Commercial Energy Efficiency Program, an equipment-based program for commercial customers predicated on a Conservation Potential Assessment (“CPA”) performed by Dunsky Energy Consulting and input from its Energy Efficiency Stakeholder group. Application at 4-6. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company represents its proposed Commercial Energy Efficiency Program focuses on therm-saving measures in three end-use sectors identified in the CPA: HVAC, commercial kitchen appliances, and hot water savings. Id. at 6. NOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE ORDER NO. 34771 2 YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the HVAC category includes proposed rebates for three high-efficiency appliances: boilers with 300,000 Btuh input size or greater, the installation of boiler reset controls, and condensing unit heaters. Id. at 7. The kitchen end-use category offers proposed incentives for the installation of high-efficiency natural gas commercial kitchen appliances. Id. The Company also proposes to offer complimentary energy saving kits to commercial customers that focus on water saving measures such as a pre-rinse spray valve, restroom faucet aerators, kitchen faucet aerators and a water temperature gauge. Id. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company requests authority to formalize a mechanism to recover costs incurred in the administration and delivery of the proposed Commercial Energy Efficiency Program through a proposed Rate Schedule EE – GS, attached as Exhibit 3 to the Application. Id. at 7-8. The Company also requests authority to revise existing tariffs to add a commercial component to its Energy Efficiency Program. Id. at 9. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company anticipates total costs of approximately $411,000 for the first year of the Commercial Energy Efficiency Program. Id. at 8. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company represents it notified GS-1 customers about the Application through a Customer Notice and a Press Release sent to daily and weekly newspapers, and major radio and television stations in the Company’s service area. Id. at 10. SUSPENSION YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company requests an October 1, 2020, effective date. This matter is sufficiently complex to justify allowing the Commission, parties, and public a longer period to assess the Company’s Application. The Commission thus finds it appropriate to suspend the Company’s proposed effective date for five months and 30 days, unless the Commission issues an earlier Order accepting, rejecting, or modifying the Company’s Application. Idaho Code § 61-622(4). NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that persons who wish to intervene in this matter to obtain the rights of a party (e.g., to file formal discovery, or present evidence or cross-examine witnesses at a hearing) must file a Petition to Intervene with the Commission under the Commission's Rules of Procedure 72 and 73, IDAPA 31.01.01.072 and .073. Persons who wish to intervene as a party must file a Petition to Intervene within twenty-one (21) days from the NOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE ORDER NO. 34771 3 service date of this Order. Such persons shall also provide the Commission Secretary with their electronic mail address to facilitate further communications. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission Secretary shall issue a Notice of Parties after the deadline for intervention has passed. The Notice of Parties shall assign exhibit numbers to each party in this proceeding. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that once the Notice of Parties has been issued, Staff will informally confer with the parties about further scheduling and will recommend a schedule to the Commission. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the following persons are designated as the Company’s representatives in this matter: Lori A. Blattner Director – Regulatory Affairs Intermountain Gas Company P.O. Box 7608 Boise, ID 83707 E-mail: Lori.Blattner@intgas.com Preston N. Carter Givens Pursley LLP 601 W. Bannock Street Boise, Idaho 83702 E-mail: pnc@givenspursley.com kendrah@givenspursley.com YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Application is available for public inspection during regular business hours at the Commission's office. These documents are also available on the Commission's web site at www.puc.idaho.gov. Click on the “Natural Gas” icon, then select “Open Cases” and click on the case number as shown on the front of this document. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all proceedings in this case will be held pursuant to the Commission’s jurisdiction under Title 61 of the Idaho Code and specifically Idaho Code §§ 61-501, 61-502, 61-507, 61-520, 61-523, and 61-622. The Commission may enter any final Order consistent with its authority under Title 61. YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that all proceedings in this matter will be conducted pursuant to the Commission’s Rules of Procedure, IDAPA 31.01.01.000 et seq. NOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE ORDER NO. 34771 4 O R D E R IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the proposed effective date for the Company’s Commercial Energy Efficiency Program and Funding Mechanism is suspended for five months and 30 days, unless the Commission issues an earlier Order accepting, rejecting, or modifying the Application. Idaho Code § 61-622(4). IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that persons desiring to intervene for the purpose of presenting evidence or cross-examination at hearing shall file a Petition to Intervene with the Commission within twenty-one (21) days from the service date of this Order. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED after the Notice of Parties is issued Staff will informally confer with the parties to discuss an appropriate schedule for this case. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that parties continue to comply with Order No. 34602, issued March 17, 2020. All pleadings should be filed with the Commission electronically and shall be deemed timely filed when received by the Commission Secretary. See Rule 14.02. Service between parties should also be accomplished electronically. Voluminous discovery-related documents may be filed and served on CD-ROM or a USB flash drive. /// NOTICE OF APPLICATION NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE ORDER NO. 34771 5 DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 3rd day of September 2020. PAUL KJELLANDER, PRESIDENT KRISTINE RAPER, COMMISSIONER ERIC ANDERSON, COMMISSIONER ATTEST: Jan Noriyuki Commission Secretary I:\Legal\GAS\INT-G-20-04\orders\INTG2004_Ntc of App_jrh.docx