Decoupling Phase
On December 20, 2011, the commission issued a 
Notice of Decoupling Phase Procedural Schedule. The commission entered Order 07 and modified that procedural schedule and rescheduled the hearing now set for June 4, 2012, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the commission's headquarters, 1300 S. Evergreen Park Drive S.W., Olympia, Washington, continuing, as necessary, on June 14, 2012, at 1:30 p.m..
General Rate Case Phase
On June 16, 2011, the commission held a prehearing conference, on tariffs filed by Avista Corporation, d/b/a Avista Utilities designed to effect a general rate increase for electric and gas service.
Avista requested an electric rate increase of $38.3 million, or 8.7 percent, and a gas rate increase of $6.2 million or 4.0 percent. The commission suspended operation of the electric and gas tariffs by Order 01 entered in the dockets on June 1, 2011.
On June 20, 2011, the commission issued its prehearing conference order (Order 04) and established a procedural schedule. The commission suspended the remaining procedural schedule and scheduled a settlement hearing for November 8, 2011, in Spokane, by notice issued on October 12, 2011.
ByNotice issued September 7, 2011, the commission established the time and place for public comments hearings to provide members of the public with an opportunity to present oral comments to the commission. Public hearings were held the following dates:
November 8, 2011, 12:00 p.m. (noon), Spokane Valley, Washington
November 8, 2011, 6:00 p.m., Spokane, Washington
November 9, 2011, 12:00 p.m. (noon), Pullman, Washington
On December 16, 2011, the commission issued Order 06 - Final Order Rejecting Tariff Sheets; Approving and Adopting Settlement Stipulation; Requiring Compliance and Subsequent Filings.
Order 06 rejects revised tariff sheets filed by Avista on May 16, 2011, and approves and adopts a Settlement that allows Avista to increase electric rates by $20 million, an average of 4.6 percent, and that increase Avista's natural gas rates by $3.75 million, an average of 2.4 percent. The commission finds the rates resulting from these increases to be fair, just, reasonable, and sufficient. In authorizing these rates, the commission also approves the parties' proposal to increase the funding for the low income rate assistance program by $550,000. Order 06 also directs Avista to make a subsequent filing containing specific data related to the compensation packages of Avista executives by February 29, 2012.
Docket UE-110876 - All Documents