Idaho Public Utilities Commission

Case No. AVU-E-10-01 and AVU-G-10-01, Notice of Workshop

December 8, 2010

Contact: Gene Fadness (208) 334-0339, 890-2712

Workshop to address issues arising from last Avista rate case

Staff from the Idaho Public Utilities Commission will be conducting a workshop on Dec. 20 regarding some unresolved issues that were part of the last Avista Utilities electric and gas general rate case.

The final order of the rate case, issued Sept. 21, directed Avista, commission staff and other interested parties to participate in a workshop addressing the tiered rate structure for residential electric customers and also issues related to low-income weatherization funding, low-income outreach and education and other customer service issues.

Currently, Avista charges its residential electric customers 7.77 cents per kWh for the first 600 kWh of use per month and then charges nearly 8.7 cents per kWh for all use above 600 kWh. Groups such as the Idaho Conservation League and the Community Action Partnership Association of Idaho believe the utility ought to examine the dividing line between Avista’s first and second tier block rates and perhaps consider adding a third block.

The rate case order issued last September also ordered a workshop to address cost-of-service issues, but those will be considered at a later workshop.

The workshop will begin at 10 a.m. on Dec. 20 in the commission hearing room at 472 W. Washington Street in Boise. Persons wishing to participate by telephone can dial toll-free, 1-888-706-6468, and then enter a participant code, which is 472404.