20131106final_order_no_32922.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
November 6,2013
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE INTEREST RATE )
ON DEPOSITS COLLECTED FROM )CASE NO.GNR-U-13-02
CUSTOMERS OF GAS,ELECTRIC,)
TELEPHONE AND WATER PUBLIC )
UTILITIES FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2014 )ORDER NO.32922
__________________________________________________________________________________
)
The Commission’s Customer Relations Rules for Gas,Electric and Water Utilities
(IDAPA 31.21.01.106)and the Customer Relations Rules for Telephone Companies (IDAPA
31.41.01.104)both provide for the payment of interest on customer deposits.Pursuant to Rule
106.02 of these rule sets,the interest rate on deposits is determined by calculating the 12-month
average interest rate for one-year treasury bills for the previous November 1 through October 31.
The resulting rate is then rounded to the nearest whole percent.The calculated rate will be in
effect for the following calendar year.
Using the weekly rates as posted by the U.S.Department of Treasury,the average
interest rate for one-year treasury bills for the 12-month period from November 1,2012 through
October 31,2013,is 0.14%.We accept Staff’s position that zero is not a “whole percent”
interest rate.Accordingly,public utilities shall pay 1.0%annual interest on all customer deposits
held pursuant to IDAPA Rules 31.21.01.106 and 31.41.01.104 for calendar year 2014.The 2014
interest rate is identical to the 2010-2013 interest rates.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that 1.0%annual interest shall be paid during calendar
year 2014 on customer deposits held by gas,electric,water,and telephone companies subject to
this Commission’s jurisdiction under IDAPA 31.21.01.106 and 31.41.01.104.The Commission
Secretary shall serve this Order upon all public utilities operating within Idaho.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the rate on deferred accounts using the customer
deposit rate during calendar year 2014 shall be 1.0%.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER.Any person interested in this Order may petition for
reconsideration within twenty-one (21)days of the service date of this Order.Within seven (7)
days after any person has petitioned for reconsideration,any other person may cross-petition for
reconsideration.See Idaho Code §S 61-626 and 62-619.
ORDER NO.32922 1
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise,Idaho this
day of November 2013.
PAUL KJELLANDER,PRESIDENT
MACK A.REDFORD,COMMISSIONER
MARSHA H.SMITH,COMMISSIONER
ATTEST:
C iUk
Jan D.Jewel
Commission Secretary
bls/O:GNR-U-I 3-02db
ORDER NO.32922 2