20220801Notice_of_Application_Order_No_35480.pdf

NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35480 1

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
August 1, 2022
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION
OF INTERMOUNTAIN GAS COMPANY
FOR A DETERMINATION OF 2021 ENERGY
EFFICIENCY EXPENSES AS PRUDENTLY
INCURRED
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CASE NO. INT-G-22-03

NOTICE OF APPLICATION

NOTICE OF INTERVENTION
DEADLINE

ORDER NO. 35480

On July 12, 2022, Intermountain Gas Company (“Company”), a subsidiary of MDU
Resources Group, Inc., filed an Application for an order designating $4,028,174 of 2021 Energy
Efficiency Program (“EE Program”) expenditures as prudently incurred. The Company has
submitted its 2021 Energy Efficiency Annual Report with the Application.
With this Order, the Commission provides notice of the Company’s Application and sets
a deadline for interested parties to intervene.
BACKGROUND
In 2017, the Commission authorized the Company to establish the EE Program for its
residential customers. See Case No. INT-G-16-02; Order No. 33757 at 35-37. The purpose of the
EE Program “is to encourage upgrades to, or use of, high efficiency natural gas equipment.” Rate
Schedule EE, Intermountain Gas Company I.P.U.C. Gas Tariff, Sheet No. 16 at 1. On July 27,
2017, the Company requested Commission authority to implement a funding mechanism for the
EE Program. See Case No. INT-G-17-03. The Commission approved the Company’s requested
funding mechanism of an Energy Efficiency Charge (“EEC”) for the EE Program, and approved
Rate Schedules EE, EEC, and RS. The Commission found that the proposed EEC to residential
customers of $0.00367 per therm to fund the EE Program was reasonable and appropriate. Order
No. 33888 at 3.
In Case No. INT-G-19-04, the Commission required the Company to commission a third-
party Evaluation, Measurement and Verification (“EM&V”) study, review and update the
avoided cost calculation with the Energy Efficiency Stakeholder Committee (“EESC”),
immediately and continuously monitor, evaluate, and update its EE Program incentives with the
best available data, and discontinue the 80% AFUE condensing fireplace incentive. Order
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35480 2

No.34536. On October 1, 2019, the Commission authorized the Company to increase its EEC
from $0.00367 per therm to $0.02093 per therm. Order No. 34454 at 4.
In Case No. INT-G-20-04, the Commission authorized the Company to implement a
Commercial EE Program in Rate Schedule EE-GS and established a funding mechanism for
program costs in Rate Schedule EEC-GS (“EEC-GS”), which set the EEC-GS at $0.00320 per
therm. The Commission directed the Company to develop an EM&V plan, file an Annual
Commercial EE Program Report, include representatives from the GS-l rate class in its EESC,
and immediately and continuously monitor, evaluate, and update its Commercial EE Program
incentives with the best available data. Order No. 34941
In Case No. INT-G-21-03, the Commission acknowledged an overfunded rider balance
in the EE Program of $1,318,197 and permitted the Company to carry forward the balance to
meet anticipated increased EE Program participation. Order No. 35313 at 5.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Company represented that the EE Program
expenditures are funded through collections from customers via Energy Efficiency Charges. The
Company stated that its Rate Schedule EEC-RS of $0.02093 per therm funds the Residential EE
Program and the total Residential EE Program revenues for calendar year 2021 were $5,393,824.
The Company represented that its Rate Schedule EEC-GS of $0.00320 per therm funds the
Commercial EE Program and the revenues for the first nine months of the Commercial program
were $234,906.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company represented that the combined
expenditures for the Residential and Commercial Programs for January 1, 2021, through December
31, 2021, were $4,028,174.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company represented that the Residential
Program began the year with an over-collected deferral balance of $1,318,197 and experienced
growth of the over-collected balance to $2,834,164 by December 31, 2021.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Company represented that for this filing, the
Company used the Avoided Costs as calculated in the IRP (See Case No. INT-G-21-06, Exhibit
No. 5).

NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35480 3

YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that Intermountain Gas states it has informed its
customers of the Application through a Customer Notice and by a Press Release sent to daily and
weekly newspapers, and major radio and television stations in the Company's service area. Id. at
5-6.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Application, Annual Report, and supporting
documentation have been filed with the Commission and are available for public inspection during
regular business hours at the Commission’s office. These documents are also available on the
Commission’s website at www.puc.idaho.gov. Click on the “Natural Gas” icon, select “Open
Cases,” and then 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.
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 INTERVENTION DEADLINE
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that persons desiring to intervene in this matter to
obtain parties’ rights of participation must file a Petition to Intervene with the Commission
pursuant to this 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 no later than 21
days after the date of service of this Order. Such persons shall also provide the Commission
Secretary with their email address to facilitate further communications. After the intervention
deadline runs, the Commission Secretary shall issue a Notice of Parties that identifies the parties
and assigns exhibit numbers to each party. Once the Notice of Parties has issued, Commission
Staff shall informally confer with the Company and any intervening parties about how to further
process this case and shall then report back to the Commission on a proposed case schedule.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that persons who would like to present their views
without parties’ rights of participation and cross-examination do not have to intervene but may
present their views by submitting written comments to the Commission.

NOTICE OF APPLICATION
NOTICE OF INTERVENTION DEADLINE
ORDER NO. 35480 4

YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the following people are designated as the
Company’s representatives in this matter:
Lori A. Blattner
Director - Regulatory Affairs
Intermountain Gas Company
Post Office Box 7608
Boise, ID 83707
[e-mail]
Preston N. Carter
Givens Pursley LLP
601 W. Bannock St.
Boise, ID 83702
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that persons desiring to intervene in this matter must file a
Petition to Intervene no later than 21 days from the service date of this Order. Once the deadline
has passed, the Commission Secretary shall prepare and issue a Notice of Parties.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, after the Notice of Parties has issued, Commission Staff
shall confer with the parties regarding a procedural schedule for this matter including, if necessary,
a hearing in this matter.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that parties comply with Order No. 35375, issued April 21,
2022. Generally, all pleadings should be filed with the Commission electronically and will be
deemed timely filed when received by the Commission Secretary. See Rule 14.02. Service between
parties should continue to be accomplished electronically when possible. However, 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. 35480 5

DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 1st day of
August 2022.

ERIC ANDERSON, PRESIDENT

JOHN CHATBURN, COMMISSIONER

JOHN R. HAMMOND JR., COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:

Jan Noriyuki
Commission Secretary
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