Website:
www.puc.idaho.gov
Avista
proposes adjustments to electric rates
Customers
of Avista Utilities have an opportunity to comment to the Idaho Public
Utilities Commission on two adjustments to electric rates proposed by the
Spokane-based utility.
One
adjustment, the expiration of a credit given to customers from the sale of the
Centralia Power Plant, will result in an increase to average residential bills
of about 1.45 percent. A second adjustment, an increase in the Bonneville Power
Administration (BPA) credit will reduce average residential bills by about 0.75
percent.
When
Avista sold its share of the Centralia, Wash., power plant, customers were
allowed to share in some of the gain. Residential customers have received a
credit of 0.091 cents per kWh since March of 2000. The customer portion of the
gain will be fully refunded by Nov. 1, requiring removal of the credit. The
result is about a 1.45 percent increase to an average residential bill.
The
BPA is a federally owned wholesale power marketer, selling electricity at cost
to customers in four Northwestern states, including Idaho. The electricity is
generated from a number of hydroelectric facilities along the Columbia River
and its tributaries. The Northwest Power Act of 1980 requires that residential
and small-farm electric customers share in the benefits of the hydropower system,
typically through a credit on their electric bills. The second half of a
10-year agreement (2001-2011) between Avista and BPA allows for increased
benefits to Avista customers. Avista is asking that the commission approve an
increase in the credit from the current 0.412 cents per kWh to 0.459 cents per
kWh. If the increase in the credit is approved, a customer who uses 1,000 kWh
per month would notice a credit of $4.59 subtracted from the amount due,
compared to the current $4.12 credit, effective Nov. 1.
Avista
serves about 340,000 electric and 300,000 natural gas customers in Washington
and northern Idaho. The company has about 110,000 electric customers in Idaho.
Customers
have until Oct. 19 to comment on the elimination of the Centralia Power Plant
credit and Oct. 23 to comment on the increase in the BPA credit.
Comments are accepted via e-mail by accessing the commission’s homepage at www.puc.idaho.gov and clicking on "Comments & Questions." Fill in the case number (AVU-E-06-08 for the Centralia case and AVU-E-06-09 for the BPA credit) and enter your comments. Comments can also be mailed to P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0074 or faxed to (208) 334-3762.
A full text of the
commission’s order, along with other documents related to these cases, are
available on the commission’s Web site. Click on “File Room” and then on
“Electric Cases” and scroll down to the above case numbers.