The Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has scheduled a public workshop for early in February to discuss concerns that have been raised by a proposal from Intermountain Gas Co. to curtail customers with gas-fired snow-melting equipment in the midst of peak-demand periods (see Daily GPI, Dec. 15, 2009). Intermountain told the PUC that snow-melting equipment under driveways and rooftops uses an inordinate amount of gas compared to more conventional uses, and thus the utility wants authority to involuntarily curtail the snow-melting gas use in the midst of peak demand times. Existing customers now can volunteer to be interrupted. In exchange for the interruptible status, new and volunteering existing snow-melt customers would be given a lower rate.

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