Notice of Utility Tariff Filing

The REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA (Commission) gives notice that Golden Valley Electric Association, Inc. (GVEA) filed tariff revision TA268-13, proposing to update Rule 7 extension of facilities in its tariff. Some examples of the proposed tariff revisions are listed below: 

• “Rule 7.1 Without Special Provisions” has been updated and renamed “7.01 Using Existing Facilities”.
  • New language has been added making line extensions subject to cost sharing. Members may be required to pay a portion of construction costs for a line that was the object of an earlier line extension within five years of construction. The members that previously paid for construction of the line will receive a refund of a portion of their fees when another member takes service within five years of line extension construction.
  • A new provision states that a member is not responsible for the cost of a system upgrade that is incidentally the result of the addition of another member's service to the system, if the load requirement is comparable to those in the area being served by the facilities requiring upgrade.
• “Rule 7.2 Requiring Special Provisions” has been updated and renamed “7.02 Requiring Special Provisions”.
  • The language describing circumstances in which GVEA would invest additional 50% matching funds for a line extension has been removed.
  • Language has been added indicating that multiple transformers will be provided by GVEA without contribution by the member for three-phase service.
  • A subdivision backbone agreement pertaining to newly platted subdivisions has been added.
  • A section addressing “Extension of Facilities Partially Funded through Federal and State Grants” has been added.
• “Rule 7.3 By Member” has been updated, moved and renamed “7.06 Member – Constructed Extension”.
  • Language has been added distinguishing facilities accepted by GVEA from facilities not accepted by GVEA. Language has also been added identifying the party that is responsible for maintaining the different types of facilities.
  • Language has been added providing that a member who authorizes work adjacent to or within an easement or right-of-way that: (1) poses a hazard; (2) is in violation of law; (3) or significantly interferes with the Association’s access will be notified. If the violation is not corrected, the Association may take the necessary actions at the member’s expense.
• Rule 7.2.4 has been updated, moved and renamed “Rule 7.03 Refund of Advance for Construction”.
  • Language has been added stating that, “[t]he Association will review completed line extensions at least annually to determine whether any refunds are due”; language requiring members to make a written request for refunds has been removed.
  • The conditions under which a refund may be granted have been changed.
• Rule 7.2.5 has been updated, moved and renamed “Rule 7.04 Minimum Monthly Revenue”.
  • Language has been added stating members requesting a line extension may be required to sign a service contract to ensure GVEA receives a minimum amount of revenue from an extension.
  • The language defining the revenue that must be derived by GVEA for specific service point lengths and percentages of estimated costs used to develop minimum monthly revenues has been removed.
• Rule 7.2.3 has been changed to “Rule 7.05 Residential or Commercial/Industrial Subdivisions and Mobile Home Courts” to allow members to have an option of installing and maintaining an underground service connection at their expense.
• “Rule 7.07 Construction Cost Estimates” has been added stating that if the actual cost of a line extension exceed the Association’s written estimate plus ten percent, no charge may be collected in excess of the one hundred ten percent of the estimate, unless the additional costs were requested or caused by the member. 

This notice does not contain all requested revision and the Commission may approve a rate or classification that varies from those proposed. You may obtain more information about this filing by contacting Monica Grassi, Regulatory Specialist at GVEA, at P. O. Box 71249, Fairbanks, AK 99707; phone: (907) 458-5788. The complete filing is also available for inspection at the Commission’s office at 701 West 8th Avenue, Suite 300, Anchorage, AK 99501; phone: (907) 276-6222, or may be viewed at the Commission’s website at http://rca.alaska.gov by typing Docket “TA268-13” in the Find a Matter search box. 

To comment on this filing, please file your comments by 5:00 p.m., September 11, 2015, at the Commission address given above or via our website at: 

https://rca.alaska.gov/RCAWeb/WhatsNew/PublicNoticesComments.aspx 

Please reference TA268-13 and include a statement that you’ve filed a copy of the comments with GVEA at its address given above or by email at mgrassi@gvea.com. Individuals or groups of people with disabilities, who require special accommodations, auxiliary aids or service, or alternative communication formats, please contact Joyce McGowan at (907) 276-6222, toll-free at 1-800-390-2782, TTY (907) 276-4533 or send a request via electronic mail to rca.mail@alaska.gov by September 4, 2015. 

DATED at Anchorage, Alaska, this 12^th day of August, 2015. 

REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA 

James A. Keen

Engineering Section Manager