20151207final_order_no_33426.pdf

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
December 7,2015
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE INTEREST RATE )
ON DEPOSITS COLLECTED FROM )CASE NO.GNR-U-15-01
CUSTOMERS OF GAS,ELECTRIC,)
TELEPHONE AND WATER PUBLIC )
UTILITIES FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2016 )ORDER NO.33426
_________________________________________________________________________________
)
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 both 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 1,2014 through
October 31,2015,is 0.26%.Consistent with our previous findings,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 2016.This interest rate is the same as the interest rate for the
years 2010 through 2015.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that 1.0%annual interest shall be paid during calendar
year 2016 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 2016 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)
ORDER NO.33426 1
days after any person has petitioned for reconsideration,any other person may cross-petition for
reconsideration.See Idaho Code §61-626 and 62-619.
,q1DONEbyOrderoftheIdahoPublicUtilitiesCommissionatBoise,Idaho this /
day of December 2015.
ATTEST:
J63n D.Jewell
Commission Secretary
MARSHA H.SMITH,COMMISSIONER
KR INE RAPER,COMMISSIONER
bls/O:GNR-U-1 5-01db
PAUL
ORDER NO.33426 2