20141023notice_of_petition_order_no_33157.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
October 23,2014
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF AVISTA CORPORATION,)CASE NO.GNR-U-14-01
IDAHO POWER COMPANY,AND )
PACIFICORP DBA ROCKY MOUNTAIN )NOTICE OF PETITION
POWER’S PETITION FOR AN EXEMPTION TO)
UTILITY CUSTOMER RELATIONS RULES )NOTICE OF
311(4)AND (5).)MODIFIED PROCEDURE
)
_______________________________)
ORDER NO.33157
On September 30,2014,Avista Corporation,Idaho Power Company,and PacifiCorp
dba Rocky Mountain Power (the “Petitioners”)petitioned the Idaho Public Utilities
Commission for an Order exempting them from Utility Customer Relations Rule (“UCRR”)
311.04 and .05.With this Order,the Commission provides notice of the Petition and invites
interested persons to comment on it until December 10,2014.
NOTICE OF PETITION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that with this Petition,the Petitioners ask the
Commission to exempt them from the requirements of UCRR 311.04 and .05,IDAPA
31.21.01.311.04 and .05.In summary,these rules require a utility employee to try to make
face-to-face contact immediately before terminating the customer’s service for non-payment:
(1)to give the customer a final chance to avoid termination of service by paying the bill at that
time;and (2)if the customer does not pay at that time,notify the customer about how the
customer can have service reconnected.The rules state:
311.TIMES WHEN SERVICE MAY BE TERMINATED -
OPPORTUNITY TO AVOID TERMINATION OF SERVICE (Rule
311).
04.Opportunity to Prevent Termination of Service.Immediately
preceding termination of service,the employee designated to terminate service
shall identify himself or herself to the customer or other responsible adult
upon the premises and shall announce the purpose of the employee’s presence.
This employee shall have in his or her possession the past due account record
of the customer and shall request any available verification that the
outstanding bills are satisfied or currently in dispute before this Commission.
Upon presentation of evidence that outstanding bills are satisfied or currently
NOTICE OF PETITION
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDER NO.33157 1
in dispute before this Commission,service shall not be terminated.The
employee shall be authorized to accept full payment,or,at the discretion of
the utility,partial payment,and in such case shall not terminate service.
Nothing in this rule prevents a utility from proceeding with termination of
service if the customer or other responsible adult is not on the premises.
05.Notice of Procedure for Reconnecting Service.The utility
employee designated to terminate service shall give to the customer or leave
in a conspicuous location at the affected service address,a notice showing the
time of and grounds for termination,steps to be taken to secure reconnection,
and the telephone numbers of utility personnel or other authorized
representatives who are available to authorize reconnection.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Petitioners explain that they want the
option of discontinuing payment at the door practices,and of notifying customers in ways
besides providing mandatory on-site personal or paper notice.The Petitioners seek the
exemption so they can use advances in metering,communication,and electronic payment
technologies to reduce operating costs and increase the safety of utility employees without
sacrificing customer service.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Petitioners maintain that customers will
not be harmed if the exemption is granted because customers would still receive multiple
notices before disconnection.The differences between the Petitioners’current notification
practices and the proposed notification practices if the exemption is granted are summarized
below:
Current Disconnect Notifications Rocky Mountain
(UCRR 304)Avista Idaho Power Power
Initial 7-day Past-Due Notice Letter X X X
Final 3-day Past-Due Notice Letter X X X
48-hour door hanger X
24-hour in person/telephone notice X X X
Knock/door hanger at disconnection X X X
NOTICE OF PETITION
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDER NO.33157
Proposed Amount Due &Rocky Mountain
Disconnect Notifications Avista Idaho Power Power
Monthly bill X X X
Initial 7-day Past-Due Notice Letter X X X
Final 3-day Past-Due Notice Letter X X X
48-hour door hanger X
24-hour in person/telephone notice X X X
Knock +door hanger at manual disconnect X X
Door hanger only at manual disconnect X
No on-site notice remote disconnect X X X
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Petitioners request that the proposed
exemption from UCRR 311.04 and .05 take effect at the end of the winter disconnection
moratorium on March 1,2015.1 The utilities request that the Commission process the case
under the Commission’s rules of modified procedure.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Petition and supporting workpapers have
been filed with the Commission and are available for public inspection during regular business
hours at the Commission offices.The Petition is also available on the Commission’s web site at
www.puc.idaho.gov.Click on the “File Room”tab at the top of the page,scroll down to “Multi
Utility 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.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 3 1.01.01.000 et seq.,
including the Modified Procedure rules referenced below.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Commission’s Staff will hold a public
informational workshop in this matter.Staff will conduct the workshop by telephone from the
Commission’s offices in Boise,Idaho.The workshop will occur before the initial comment
deadline specified below.The Commission’s Secretary will issue a Notice of Public Workshop
The “winter disconnection moratorium”is specified in UCRR 306,IDAPA 31.21.01.306.That rule generally
precludes utilities from terminating service in December through February for residential customers who declare
that they cannot fully pay for utility service and whose household includes children,elderly,or infirm persons.
NOTICE OF PETITION
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDERNO.33157 3
before the workshop occurs to notify interested persons of the workshop’s precise date and time
and instruct them on how they can participate in the workshop.
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
YOU ARE FURTHER 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 (that is,persons will present their views through written comments)pursuant to Rules
201 through 204 of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission’s Rules of Procedure,IDAPA
3 1.01.01.201 through .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 persons desiring to state a position on this
Petition must file a written comment in support or opposition with the Commission by
December 10,2014.The Petitioners must file their reply comments,if any,by December
17,2014.A comment must contain a statement of reasons supporting the comment.In addition,
persons desiring a hearing must specifically request a hearing in their written comments and
explain why they believe that Modified Procedure should not be used to process this case.
Written comments may be filed by mailing them to the Commission and the Petitioners at the
addresses reflected below:
Commission Secretary AVISTA CORPORATION:
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
P.O.Box 83720 David J.Meyer
Boise,ID 83720-0074 Avista Corporation
P0 Box 3727
Street Address for Express Mail:1411 E.Mission Avenue,MSC-23
Spokane,WA 99220
472 W Washington Street E-mail dun’GIst cm
Boise,ID 83702-59 18
Linda Gervais
Avista Corporation
P0 Box 3727
1411 E.Mission Avenue,MSC-23
Spokane,WA 99220
E—mail:I
NOTICE OF PETITION
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDER NO.33157 4
IDAHO POWER COMPANY:
Lisa D.Nordstrom
Regulatory Dockets
Idaho Power Company
P0 Box 70
Boise,ID 83707-0070
E-mail:lnordstrorn(,idahopower,com
docketsidahopower.com
Tami White
Idaho Power Company
P0 Box 70
Boise,ID 83707-0070
E-mail:
ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER:
Daniel E.Solander
Ted Weston
Rocky Mountain Power
201 S.Main Street,Suite 2300
Salt Lake City,UT 84111
E-mail:daniel,solander(,paciIi corp.corn
ted.weston(pacificorp.com
Barbara Coughlin
PacifiCorp
825 NE Multnornah,Suite 800
Portland,OR 97232
E-mail:barb.coughlin(pacificorp.corn
These comments should contain the case caption and case number shown on the first page of this
document.Comments may also be filed by e-mail.Persons desiring to submit comments via e
mail may do so by accessing the Commission’s home page located at pcJçjjçgpy.Click
the “Utility Case Comment or Question Form”under the “Consumers”tab,and complete the
comment form using the case number as it appears on the front of this document.Comments
filed by e-mail must also be sent to the Petitioners at the e-mail addresses listed above.
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
NOTICE OF PETITION
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDERNO.33157 5
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.
Interested persons wishing to file comments or protests in this matter must do so by December
10,2014.The Petitioners must file their reply comments,if any,by December 17,2014.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Staff shall hold a telephonic public workshop at
the Commission’s offices before December 10,2014.The Commission’s Secretary shall issue a
Notice of Public Workshop specifying the exact date and time of the workshop,with instructions
on how to participate,at least seven days before the workshop occurs.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise,Idaho this L3
day of October 2014.
ATTEST:
I ..
çtLi
Jean D Jewell
Commission Seretary
O:GNR-U-14-Olkk
NOTICE OF PETITION
NOTICE OF MODIFIED PROCEDURE
ORDERNO.33157
S-%±
MACK A.REDFORD,COMMISSIONER
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MARSHA H.SMITH,COMMISSIONER
PAUL PRESIDENT
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