Avista

In Washington state a settlement has been reached in the $5.3 billion acquisition of Spokane, WA-based natural gas and power distributor Avista Corp. by Ontario-based Hydro One Ltd., a former provincial Crown company that is now investor-controlled.

Oregon regulators on Thursday lowered retail natural gas utility rates for residential, commercial and industrial customers that are to take effect Nov. 1.

Only two months after a privatization share sale, newly investor-controlled Ontario utility Hydro One Ltd. expanded Wednesday into the northwestern United States with a friendly takeover of Spokane, WA-based natural gas and power distributor Avista Corp.

On a 2-1 vote, the state of Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) on Monday rejected a request by Spokane-based Avista Utilities to have its natural gas and electric rate case decisions from December reconsidered. UTC Chairman David Danner and Commissioner Ann Rendahl voted not to reconsider or rehear the 2016 rate case decision, while Commissioner Phil Jones, who filed a dissent in the original 2-1 decision, did so again on Monday. Avista’s petition for a rehearing was opposed by UTC staff, the public counsel unit of the state Attorney General’s Office, the Industrial Customers of Northwest Utilities, and the Northwest Industrial Gas Users. The combination utility had requested a two-phase increase of $4.4 million (5%) for natural gas rates the first 12 months and an additional $900,000 annual increase (1.8%) after 18 months; electric rates were pegged for a $38.6 million (7.8%) increase at first with an added $10.3 million (3.9%) after 18 months. The two commissioners in the majority decided that Avista failed to show that its current rates are not sufficient to meet its operating needs. Avista has 30 days to petition for judicial review in a state Superior Court.

Washington state’s regulatory commission took action on Thursday in separate cases involving a pipeline safety penalty for Cascade Natural Gas Corp. and general rate increase requests by Avista Utilities.

Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) staff on Wednesday deflated natural gas and electric utility general rate increases proposed by Spokane, WA-based Avista Utilities.

The Idaho Public Utilities Commissionhas adopted a natural gas rate hike by Spokane, WA-based Avista Utilitiesof 3.5% effective Jan. 1. The settlement will also grant an electric utility rate hike of 0.6%. Avista had requested gas rate increases of 4.5% in 2016 and 2.2% in 2017 and electric hikes of more than 5% each year. Avista will receive a $2.5 million increase to revenue under the settlement.

Seattle, WA-based Plum Energy LLC said Thursday that Avista Capital — a subsidiary of Spokane, WA-based Avista Corp. — has acquired a 20% equity stake in the company, which is engaged in the development of small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) value chains.

After recent years of rate decreases, Idaho regulators approved purchased gas adjustment (PGA) rate increases on Wednesday for the state’s two major natural gas utility distribution companies: Spokane, WA-based Avista Utilities and Boise, ID-based Intermountain Gas Co. The rate changes are effective Tuesday (Oct. 1).