Upset with FERC ruling, Idaho Power wants do-over
Credit: AP, www.idahopress.com October 22, 2012 ~~
Idaho Power Co. wants federal regulators to reconsider their September ruling forbidding utilities from rejecting electricity from wind farms during certain periods of low demand.
The state’s biggest utility on Monday told the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission its Sept. 20 order was premature and disregards negative impacts on ratepayers.
Idaho Power and other utilities have been scuffling with wind farms over whether utilities can curtail contractually-required purchases at times when few customers need electricity.
Fearing that state regulators would side with the utility, wind companies asked FERC to intervene.
Idaho Power now says FERC should have waited until the Idaho Public Utilities Commission had ruled on the matter before jumping in.
Peter Richardson, a lawyer for wind farms, contends the utility is just renewing efforts to skirt its contractual obligations.
[rest of article available at source]
