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Commitments and Contingencies | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2020
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | NOTE 16. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES In the course of its business, the Company becomes involved in various claims, controversies, disputes and other contingent matters, including the items described in this Note. Some of these claims, controversies, disputes and other contingent matters involve litigation or other contested proceedings. For all such matters, the Company intends to vigorously protect and defend its interests and pursue its rights. However, no assurance can be given as to the ultimate outcome of any particular matter because litigation and other contested proceedings are inherently subject to numerous uncertainties. For matters that affect Avista Utilities’ or AEL&P's operations, the Company intends to seek, to the extent appropriate, recovery of incurred costs through the ratemaking process. 2015 Washington General Rate Cases In January 2016, the Company received an order (Order 05) that concluded its electric and natural gas general rate cases that were originally filed with the WUTC in February 2015. New electric and natural gas rates were effective on January 11, 2016. PC Petition for Judicial Review In March 2016, Public Counsel (PC) filed in Thurston County Superior Court a Petition for Judicial Review of the WUTC's Order 05 and Order 06. In April 2016, this matter was certified for review directly by the Court of Appeals, an intermediate appellate court in the State of Washington. In August 2018, the Court of Appeals issued a "Published Opinion" (Opinion) which concluded that the WUTC's use of an attrition allowance to calculate Avista Corp.'s rate base violated Washington law. In the Opinion, the Court stated that because the projected additions to rate base in the future were not "used and useful" for service at the time the request for the rate increase was made, they may not lawfully be included in the Company's rate base to justify a rate increase. Accordingly, the Court concluded that the WUTC erred in including an attrition allowance in the calculation of Avista Corp.’s electric and natural gas rate base. The Court noted, however, that the law does not prohibit an attrition allowance in the calculation, for ratemaking purposes, of recoverable operating and maintenance expense. Since the WUTC order provided one lump sum attrition allowance without distinguishing what portion was for rate base and which was for operating and maintenance expenses or other considerations, the Court struck all portions of the attrition allowance attributable to Avista Corp.'s rate base and reversed and remanded the case for the WUTC to recalculate Avista Corp.’s rates without including an attrition allowance in the calculation of rate base. In March 2020, the Company received an order from the WUTC that will require it to refund $8.5 million to electric and natural gas customers. The Company will refund $4.9 million to electric customers and $3.6 million to natural gas customers. The Company previously recorded a customer refund liability of $3.6 million in 2019. Boyds Fire (State of Washington Department of Natural Resources v. Avista) In August 2019, the Company was served with a complaint, captioned “State of Washington Department of Natural Resources v. Avista Corporation,” seeking recovery up to $4.4 million for fire suppression and investigation costs and related expenses incurred in connection with a wildfire that occurred in Ferry County, Washington in August 2018. Specifically, the complaint alleges that the fire, which became known as the “Boyds Fire,” was caused by a dead ponderosa pine tree falling into an overhead distribution line, and that Avista Corp. was negligent in failing to identify and remove the tree before it came into contact with the line. Avista Corp. disputes that the tree in question was the cause of the fire and that it was negligent in failing to identify and remove it. Additional lawsuits have subsequently been filed by private landowners seeking property damages, and holders of insurance subrogation claims seeking recovery of insurance proceeds paid. All four suits were filed in the Superior Court of Ferry County, Washington. The Company intends to vigorously defend itself in the litigation. However, the Company cannot predict the outcome of these matters. Labor Day Windstorm On September 7, 2020, a severe windstorm swept through eastern Washington and northern Idaho. The extreme weather event resulted in customer outages, was the proximate cause of multiple wildfires in the region and impacted electric utilities throughout the Pacific Northwest. With respect to wildfires, the Company’s investigation determined that the primary cause of the fires was extreme high winds. To date, the Company has not found any evidence that the fires were caused by any deficiencies in its equipment, maintenance activities or vegetation management practices. However, the Company has become aware of instances where, during the course of the storm, otherwise healthy trees and limbs, located in areas outside its maintenance right-of-way, broke under the extraordinary wind conditions and caused damage to its energy delivery system at or near what is believed to be the potential area of origin of a wildfire. Those instances include what has been referred to as: the Babb Road fire (near Malden and Pine City, Washington); the Christensen Road fire (near Airway Heights, Washington); and the Mile Marker 49 fire (near Orofino, Idaho). These wildfires covered, in total, approximately 22,000 acres. The Company currently estimates approximately 230 residential, commercial and other structures were impacted. Parallel investigations by applicable state agencies, including the Washington Department of Natural Resources, are ongoing, and the Company is cooperating with those efforts. The Company’s investigation has found no evidence of negligence, and the Company intends to vigorously defend any claims for damages that may be asserted against it with respect to the wildfires arising out of the extreme wind event. Other Contingencies In the normal course of business, the Company has various other legal claims and contingent matters outstanding. The Company believes that any ultimate liability arising from these actions will not have a material impact on its financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. It is possible that a change could occur in the Company’s estimates of the probability or amount of a liability being incurred. Such a change, should it occur, could be significant. See "Note 21 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements" in the 2019 Form 10-K for additional discussion regarding other contingencies.

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