Avista Utilities asked the Idaho Public Utilities Commission to determine that the utility’s spending on energy efficiency programs in 2016 and 2017 was prudent, according to a Dec. 20 press release. The agency said that if the programs are not found to be cost-effective, the expenses will be passed on to shareholders, rather than the utility’s electric customers.

• The utility must show that the savings resulting from the programs are greater than costs and that they benefit all customers, not just the participants.
• Avista said that 74 percent of the $22.8 million spent on the programs over the past two years was paid to Idaho customers in the form of rebates, home energy audits, and low-income weatherization assistance.
• Idaho’s major investor-owned utilities have demand side management programs funded by residential customers through energy efficiency riders.
• Avista Utilities is a division of Avista Corp.