20130221Comments.pdf

Comments of the Snake River Alliance
In the Matter of the Application of Avista Corporation DBA Avista Utilitiesior
Authority to Increase Its Rates and Charges for Electric and Natural Gas Servicnjdhb
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Cases No AVU-E-12-08 and AVU-G-12-07
Submitted by
Ken Miller, Clean Energy Program Director, Snake River Alliance
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Feb 20, 2013
The Snake River Alliance ("Alliance") appreciates this opportunity to convey to the Idaho Public
Commission its support of the Stipulation and Settlement in the above-captioned cases. The
Commission granted the Alliance's application to intervene in these cases (Order 32687, Nov.
27, 2012). Due to exigent medical circumstances, the Alliance's representative in these cases,
Energy Program Director Ken Miller, was required to be out of the state during scheduled
settlement conferences on Jan. 17 and 24, 2013.
As a consequence of being unable to participate in those settlement conferences, the Alliance
chose not to sign the settlement stipulation. However, the Alliance did review the Settlement
Stipulation and its attachments as well as the accompanying motion for approval of the
Stipulation, filed with the Commission on Feb. 6, 2013.
In light of the above, and as a party in the above-referenced cases, the Snake River Alliance
wishes to notify the Commission that it supports the terms of the settlement stipulation and its
accompanying attachments, and that the lack of the Alliance's signature on the Stipulation
should not be construed as a lack of the Alliance's support for the terms of the Stipulation.
Among the issues of primary concern to the Alliance in AVU-E- 12-08 were the magnitude and
timing of the increase in base rates (chiefly for Residential Schedule 1); adjustments to Avista's
electric revenue requirement; the amount of time that should pass between resolution of this
general rate case and the filing of the next electric general rate case (rate freeze/stay out
provisions, excluding anticipated PCA filings); treatment of the anticipated FERC approval of the
Bonneville Power Administration settlement revenue as an offset to a portion of the base rate
increase; and rate spread of the base rate changes.
The Alliance believes that the parties have reached satisfactory resolutions to the above issues
as well as others.
The Alliance concurs with the parties that the Stipulation and its accompanying attachments are
in the public interest and that all of its terms and conditions are fair, just and reasonable, and
joins the parties in requesting that the Commission accept the Stipulation in its entirety.
In addition, the Alliance intends to participate as a party in further proceedings in these cases
pending their resolution.
Respectfully submitted,
Ken Miller
Clean Energy Program Director
Snake River Alliance
P.O. Box 1731
Boise, ID 83701
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kmiIlersnakeriveralliance.org
www.snakeriveralliance.org