Section 3 AAC 52.504 - Filing requirements for electric utilities(a) An electric utility shall submit each COPA as a tariff filing in compliance with the applicable provisions of 3 AAC 448.200 - 3 AAC 48.380. With its first COPA tariff filing after January 11, 2004, an electric utility must submit a copy of each contract required under 3 AAC 52.470(d) - (e), if that contract is not already on file with the commission.(b) An electric utility may implement a COPA filing that does not include a new methodology or new cost element immediately upon filing with the commission. The COPA filing is subject to subsequent review, adjustment, and approval by the commission.(c) If an electric utility seeks, outside of a general rate case, to change its COPA methodology or include any new cost element in its COPA, it must first obtain the commission's approval. In a separate tariff filing, the utility must identify the proposed change in methodology and any new cost element. An electric utility must justify the proposed change in methodology and show that any new cost element meets the criteria of 3 AAC 52.502(a).(d) For a COPA filing under (b) of this section, an electric utility is not required to give public notice under AS 42.05.411. However, if an electric utility seeks, outside of a general rate case, a change to its COPA methodology, a change to a COPA cost element, or a change to its COPA that the commission considers to be of significant interest to the public, the commission will require notice to the public in a form that the commission considers sufficient for the particular changes proposed.(e) With each COPA tariff filing, an electric utility must identify the percentage change in the average cost of power and explain the reasons for the change.(f) Within 45 days after the last day of any month in which the absolute value of the cost-of-power balancing account balance exceeds 10 percent of the electric utility's annual fuel and purchased power costs, the electric utility shall submit a COPA tariff filing.(g) With each COPA tariff filing, the electric utility must submit the following information to support entries in the cost-of-power balancing account for the historical period and projections for the future period:(1) a copy of each invoice for costs recovered through the COPA;(2) records of monthly fuel inventories, and of changes to those inventories;(3) a report of actual monthly kilowatt-hour sales by customer class;(4) reports by unit of actual monthly(A) gross kilowatt-hour generation; and(5) a report showing the actual monthly cost per kilowatt-hour for each fuel and purchased power source, and a brief explanation for any change in that cost;(6) a report calculating the monthly margins for economy energy sales and the average price per kilowatt-hour for economy energy purchases;(7) the COPA calculation;(8) documentation in support of projected costs and sales for the future period;(9) a calculation of monthly balances in the cost-of-power balancing account;(10) revised tariff sheets;(11) other information that the commission considers necessary to explain entries in the cost-of-power balancing account or to explain the proposed COPA calculation.(i) An electric utility may request, or the commission may order, the correction or adjustment of actual entries in the cost-of-power balancing account for a one-year period. The utility must describe, quantify, and justify each proposed adjustment. Unless the commission orders otherwise, an error must be corrected through an addition or subtraction to the cumulative over- or under-recovery balance.Eff. 1/11/2004, Register 169; am 11/6/2016, Register 220, January 2017Authority:AS 42.05.141
AS 42.05.151
AS 42.05.381
AS 42.05.711
AS 42.45.110
AS 42.45.130
AS 42.45.160
AS 42.45.170