20210219Application.pdf

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February 19,2021
Ms. Jan Noriyuki
Commission Secretary
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
P.O. Box 83720
Boise,lD 83720-0074
RE: Case No. INT-G-21-02
Dear Ms. Noriyuki:
Attached for consideration by this Commission is an electronic submission of Intermountain Gas
Company's Application for Extension of the Accounting Order Authorizing a Regulatory Asset for
the Costs Associated with Customer Payment Transactions Handled by Westem Union.
lf you should have any questions regarding the attached, please don't hesitate to contact me at (208)
377-601s.
Sincerely,
daABLM
Lori A. Blattner
Director, Regulatory Affairs
Intermountain Gas Company
Enclosure
cc Mark Chiles
Preston Carter
INTERMOUNTAIN GAS COMPAI\Y
CASE NO. INT-C,-2I-02
APPLICATION
In the Matter of the Application of INTERMOLINTAIN GAS COMPAI\IY
for Extension of the Accounting Order Authorizing a Regulatory Asset for the
Costs Associated with Customer Payment Transactions Handled by Western
Union
Preston N. Carter, ISB No. 8462
Givens Pursley LLP
601 W. Bannock St.
Boise,Idaho 83702
Telephone: [phone]
Attorneys for Intermourtain Gas Company
In the Matter of the Application of
INTERMOUNTAIN GAS COMPA}.IY
for Extension of the Accounting Order
Authorizing a Regulatory Asset for the
Costs Associated with Customer Payment
Transactions Handled by Westem Union
BEFORE TT{E IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
Case No. INT-G-21-02
APPLICATION
Intermountain Gas Company ("Intermountain" or o'Company"), a subsidiary of MDU
Resources Group, Inc. with general offices located at 555 South Cole Road, Boise, Idaho, pursuant
to the Rules of Procedure of the ldaho Public Utilities Commission ("Commission"), requests an
extension of OrderNo .34099 as outlined in this Application. OrderNo. 34099 authorized
lntermountain to create a regulatory asset to capture the costs associated with in-person pay station
fransactions handled by Westem Union.
Please address communications regarding this Application to:
Lori A. Blattner
Director - Regulatory Affairs
Intermountain Gas Company
Post Office Box 7608
Boise, tdaho 83707
Lori.B lattner@ inteas.com
and
Preston N. Carter
Civens Pursley LLP
601 W. Bannock St.
Boise,Idaho 83702
prestoncarter@ givenspursley.com
kendrah@ sivenspursley. com
In support of this Application, Intermountain alleges and states as follows:
I. INTRODUCTION
lntermountain is a gas utility, subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission, engaged in the
sale of and distribution of natural gas within the State of Idaho under authority of Commission
Certificate No. 219, issued December 2,1955, as amended and supplemented by Order No. 6564,
dated October 3,1962.
lntermountain provides natural gas service to the following Idaho communities and counties
and adjoining areas:
Ada County - Boise, Eagle, Garden City, Kun4 Meridian, and Star;
Bannock county - Arimo, chubbuck, lnkom, Lava Hot springs, Mccammon, and Pocatello;
Bear Lake County - Georgetown, and Montpelier;
Bingham County - Aberdeen, Basalt, Blackfoot Firth, Fort Hall, Moreland/Riverside, and Shelley;
Blaine County - Bellevue, Hailey, Ketchum, and Sun Valley;
Bonneville County - Ammon,Idaho Falls, Iona, and Ucon;
Canyon County - Caldwell, Greenleaf, Middleton, Nampa, Parmq and Wilder;
Caribou County - Bancroft, Grace, and Soda Springs;
Cassia County - Burley, Declo, Malta, and Raft River;
Elmore County - Glenns Ferry, Hammet! and Mountain Home;
Fremont County - Parker, and St. Anthony;
Gem County - Emmett;
Gooding County - Bliss, Gooding, and Wendell;
Jefferson County - Lewisville, Menan, Rigby, and Ririe;
Jerome County - Jerome;
Lincoln County - Shoshone;
Madison County - Rexburg, and Sugar City;
Minidoka County - Heybum, Paul, and Rupert;
Owyhee County - Bruneau, Marsing, and Homedale;
Payette County - Fruitland, New Plymouth, and Payette;
Power County - American Falls;
Twin Falls County - Buhl, Filer, Hansen, Kimberly, Murtaugh, and Twin Falls;
Washington County - Weiser.
lntermountain's properties in these locations consist of transmission pipelines, liquefied
nafural gas storage facilities, a compressor station, distribution mains, services, meters and
regulators, and general plant and equipment.
II. BACKGROUNI)
In Case No. INT-G-I8-01, the Company applied to the Commission for authority to create a
regulatory asset to capture the costs associated with in-person customer payment transactions
handled by Western Union. Intermountain asked that it be authorized to defer costs into the
regulatory asset for recovery in the Company's Purchased Gas Cost Adjustment @GA) until
February 1,2021, or until the company files a general rate case, whichever is first.
ln OrderNo.34099,the Commission "approved the creation of a regulatory asset to capture
the costs associated with in-person customer pay station transactions handled by Westem Union."
OrderNo. 34099 at 3. The Commission further authorized the Company to "seek recovery of those
costs in the Company's PGA beginning lrl.2019 until February 1,2021, or until the Company files a
general rate case, whichever comes first." Order No. 34099 at 3.
rrr. ExTENsroN REQIIEST
It is an understatement to say that2020 was not a normal year. Due to the worldwide Covid-
19 pandemicthe}0}0 revenues and expenses of Intermountain upon which a general rate case
would be based are far from normal. Because of this, the Company is not planning to file a general
rate case based on a 2020 test year. Order No. 34099 anticipated a general rate case prior to
February 1,2021but did not anticipate the disruption caused by the pandemic. Due to these
unforeseen circumstances, lntermountain is requesting an extension of OrderNo.34099 which
would allow the Company to continue to defer the costs associated with in-person customer pay
station transactions handled by Westem Union and to seek recovery of those costs in the
Company's PGA until such time as the Company is able to file a general rate case based upon a
more nornal test year.
IV. EFFECTTVE DATE
Intermountain requests that the effective date of the extension of the deferral of Western
Union fees and collection through the PGA be refoactive to February 1,2021.
V. MODIFIED PROCEDURE
lntermountain requests that this matter be handled under modified procedure pursuant to
Rules 201-204 of the Commission's Rules of Procedure. lntermountain stands ready for immediate
consideration of this matter.
VI. REQTIEST FOR RELIEF
Intermountain respectfully petitions the Idaho Public Utilities Commission as follows:
a. That the Commission extend the authority granted in Order No .34099 to continue
deferring to a regulatory asset the costs associated with in-person customer payment
transactions handled by Westem Union,
b. That the Commission extend the authority granted Intermountain to recover these
deferred costs through its PGA,
c. That the effective date for the extension be retroactive to February 1,2021,
d. That this Application be heard and acted upon without hearing under modified
procedure, and
e. For such other relief as this Commission may determine proper.
DATED: February 19,2021.
INTERMOUNTAIN GAS COMPANY GIVENS PURSLEY LLP
dnkBltM f
By
Lori A. Blattner
Director - Regulatory Affairs
By
Preston N. Carter
Attorney for Intermountain Gas Company