A Day at the Idaho PUC, Virtually

It started with an idea. Idaho Public Utilities Commission President and NARUC First Vice President Paul Kjellander, both a serious artist and a serious regulator, albeit with a wonderful sense of humor, suggested painting the cover for this issue of Public Utilities Fortnightly celebrating the utility workforce. Before long, with cooperation by his local utility, Idaho Power, he sketched a lineman, socially-distanced of course. Did you think PUC President Kjellander would climb the pole too and get within six feet of his subject? No way.

Once he started layering on the oil paint colors, the idea emerged out of nowhere, like a proposed agreement of the litigating parties on a utility's rate of return. Why not include, in the very same issue of PUF, a Day at the PUC feature article on Idaho's Commission? And so, that's what we did.

No trip to beautiful Boise though for the PUF team. We're not quite ready to cram on a Southwest Air flight to Boise and sit cheek to jowl with other passengers, especially since Southwest has scaled back its snack service during the pandemic.

Hence, A Day at the Idaho PUC, Virtually. Below you'll find the transcripts of our phone conversations with Idaho's three Commissioners, some members of Staff, and two illustrious recently-retired regulators from the Gem State's past. Great conversations, all of them, almost as if we were sitting down together in the offices of the PUC in Boise.

A Day at the Idaho PUC conversations:

• Paul Kjellander, Idaho PUC President and NARUC First Vice President
• Eric Anderson, Commissioner
• Kristine Raper, Commissioner
• Terri Carlock, Utilities Division Administrator - Electricity and Economics
• Maria Barratt-Riley, Executive Director
• Diane Marie Hanian, Commission Secretary 
• Adam Rush, Public Information Officer
• Marsha Smith, Former Commissioner and NARUC President
• Don Howell, Former Chief Deputy Attorney General