Reflecting the worsening economy’s impact on low-income utility customers, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) said Wednesday it supports new state legislation allowing the state’s private-sector utilities to propose additional programs, policies and rates to help assist low-income energy utility customers. The PUC cited its staff report issued in January, “Energy Affordability Final Report,” following a series of workshops held during the last half of 2008.

The PUC made a series of recommendations in response to the affordability workshops, according to a PUC spokesperson. “Energy affordability has become a central issue for many Idaho residents and businesses,” the spokesperson said.

State regulators do not want the utilities “compelled” to offer more low-income programs, but provide them more flexibility of offering more financial assistance without violating current parts of the state statutes. What the PUC is recommending is a change in a current statute (Idaho Corde 61-315) that prevents the investor-owned utilities from granting “any preference or advantage” to persons or corporations when it establishes rates.

Participants in the workshops included the PUC staff, the major investor-owned utilities (Idaho Power Co., Avista Utilities, Rocky Mountain Power, Intermountain Gas), the Northwest Industrial Gas Users, Community Action Partnership Association of Idaho, American Association of Retired People (AARP), Idaho Community Action Network and the Snake River Alliance.

The PUC wants the action in response to increased economic distress signals nationally and internationally, including “significant upward pressure on electric and natural gas rates, higher food/fuel costs, rising unemployment levels, and turmoil in the financial and housing markets.” In the staff’s final report it was noted that the Idaho unemployment rate has risen to its highest level in 20 years.

Staff specifically recommended that the major utilities:

“The Commission recognizes that there are a variety of factors contributing to significant upward pressure on electric and natural gas rates in Idaho,” the staff said in its final report. “Energy affordability has become a central issue for many Idaho households and businesses.”

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