Rocky Mountain Power may open new rate case

Rocky Mountain Power has notified the Idaho Public Utilities Commission it may open a new rate case. The utility serves about 70,000 eastern Idaho customers.

The IPUC has agreed to open a case that would allow interested parties to engage in settlement discussions. The commission said that could either avoid a rate case filing or, if a case is filed, significantly narrow the issues.

Under its notification rules, Rocky Mountain Power cannot file a new case before May 31, 2013. New rates resulting from that filing would not become effective until January 1, 2014.

Any parties interested in participating in the settlement discussion have until March 26 to join.

Several groups, including the Idaho Irrigation Pumpers Association, Monsanto Company and PacifiCorp Idaho Industrial Customers have already been granted intervention because of their past participation in Rocky Mountain Power rate cases.