61-617A. AWARD OF COSTS OF INTERVENTION. (1) It is hereby declared the policy of this state to encourage participation at all stages of all proceedings before the commission so that all affected customers receive full and fair representation in those proceedings.
(2) The commission may order any regulated electric, gas, water or telephone utility with gross Idaho intrastate annual revenues exceeding three million five hundred thousand dollars ($3,500,000) to pay all or a portion of the costs of one (1) or more parties for legal fees, witness fees, and reproduction costs, not to exceed a total for all intervening parties combined of forty thousand dollars ($40,000) in any proceeding before the commission. The determination of the commission with regard to the payment of these expenses shall be based on the following considerations:
(a) A finding that the participation of the intervenor has materially contributed to the decision rendered by the commission; and
(b) A finding that the costs of intervention are reasonable in amount and would be a significant financial hardship for the intervenor; and
(c) The recommendation made by the intervenor differed materially from the testimony and exhibits of the commission staff; and
(d) The testimony and participation of the intervenor addressed issues of concern to the general body of users or consumers.
(3) Expenses awarded to qualifying intervenors shall be an allowable business expense in the pending rate case or, if the proceeding is not a rate case, in the utility’s next rate case. Expenses awarded shall be chargeable to the class of customers represented by the qualifying intervenors.
(4) The commission may adopt rules for the implementation of this statute.
(5) The payment of expenses of intervenors who are in direct competition with a public utility involved in proceedings before the commission is prohibited.
History:
[61-617A, added 1985, ch. 126, sec. 1, p. 309; am. 1993, ch. 234, sec. 1, p. 816; am. 2003, ch. 41, sec. 1, p. 162.]
Structure Idaho Code
Title 61 - PUBLIC UTILITY REGULATION
Chapter 6 - PROCEDURE BEFORE COMMISSION AND IN COURTS
Section 61-601 - PRACTICE — EVIDENCE.
Section 61-603 - WITNESSES — ATTENDANCE — FEES — MILEAGE.
Section 61-604 - WITNESSES — DISTRICT COURT MAY COMPEL ATTENDANCE — PROCEDURE.
Section 61-606 - NO PRIVILEGE TO WITNESSES — IMMUNITY FROM SELF-INCRIMINATING TESTIMONY.
Section 61-607 - CERTIFIED COPIES OF DOCUMENTS AS EVIDENCE.
Section 61-608 - RECORDING OF ORDERS, AUTHORIZATIONS AND CERTIFICATES.
Section 61-610 - RIGHT TO INSPECT BOOKS AND EXAMINE EMPLOYEES.
Section 61-611 - PRODUCTION OF BOOKS WITHOUT STATE.
Section 61-612 - COMPLAINT AGAINST UTILITY.
Section 61-613 - COMPLAINT AGAINST UTILITY — JOINDER.
Section 61-614 - COMPLAINT AGAINST UTILITY — NO DISMISSAL.
Section 61-615 - COMPLAINT AGAINST UTILITY — SERVICE OF COPY OF COMPLAINT.
Section 61-616 - COMPLAINT AGAINST UTILITY — TIME AND PLACE OF HEARING.
Section 61-617 - HEARING — PROCESS FOR ATTENDANCE OF WITNESSES.
Section 61-617A - AWARD OF COSTS OF INTERVENTION.
Section 61-618 - DECISION — SERVICE OF ORDER — TIME EFFECTIVE — EXTENSION OF TIME.
Section 61-621 - COMPLAINT BY UTILITY.
Section 61-622A - COMMISSION AUTHORITY — COST ALLOCATION.
Section 61-624 - RESCISSION OR CHANGE OF ORDERS.
Section 61-625 - ORDERS NOT SUBJECT TO COLLATERAL ATTACK.
Section 61-626 - RECONSIDERATION — PROCEDURE — ORDER NOT STAYED — CHANGE OF ORIGINAL ORDER.
Section 61-629 - MATTERS REVIEWABLE ON APPEAL — EXTENT OF REVIEW — JUDGMENT.
Section 61-630 - RIGHT TO BE HEARD ON APPEAL.
Section 61-631 - COSTS ON APPEAL — ENFORCEMENT.
Section 61-633 - STAY OF ORDER — NOTICE.
Section 61-634 - STAY OF ORDER — BOND.
Section 61-635 - STAY OF ORDER ON APPEAL.
Section 61-636 - STAY OF ORDER ON APPEAL — NOTICE.
Section 61-637 - STAY OF ORDER ON APPEAL — BOND.
Section 61-638 - STAY OF ORDER ON APPEAL — ACCOUNTS PENDING FINAL DECISION.
Section 61-640 - HEARINGS TO DETERMINE VALUATIONS.