Arkansas Public Service Commission Docket Summary Cover Sheet

APSC FILED Time: 12/18/2013 8:41:22 AM: Recvd 12/17/2013 4:41:33 PM: Docket 13-125-u-Doc. 1
Arkansas Public Service Commission
Docket Summary Cover Sheet
(For all dockets other than Rate Cases, "TD", "C" and "TF" Dockets
Must be filed with each new docket filed at the Commission
STYLE OF DOCKET: (Style may be changed by Secretary of Commission) Docket Number:
In the Matter of the Application of Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative
Incorporated for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necesity.
DOCKET DESIGNATOR:
U
A
R
P
RELATED DOCKETS:
Nature of Action: (See second sheet)
PETITIONER/INITIATING PARTY*
Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative
Incorporated
ATTORNEYS' NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE, FAX AND E-MAIL
Mr. Bob Keeter
610 Church Street
Mena, Arkansas 71953
479.394.1735
*If the initiating party is not a jurisdictional utility in Arkansas, please provide mailing address, phone, fax and e-mail for the company
Pursuant to Rule 2.03(b) of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, please provide name, address,
phone, fax, e-mail of at least one, but not more than two names to appear on the Service List for this docket
Adam L Toth, PE
830 E Primrose, Ste 200
Mr. Brad Castor
PO Box 897
atoth@tothassociates.com Springfield, Missouri 65807
bcastor@rmec.com
Mena, Arkansas 71953
417.888.0645 (phone)
479.394.4140 (phone)
417.888.0657 (fax)
479.394.1211 (fax)
Write a brief statement, limited to the space provided herein describing the case that you are filing.
Please provide enough information to assure that the nature of your docket is clear.
RMEC seeks a certificate of public convenience and necessity to contruct, operate, and maintain a 138kV transmission
line from a takeoff structure that will be owned by AEP (American Elctric Power) and proceed approximately 0.8 miles
in a northwesterly direction to RMEC's Potter Substation which is to be constructed.
In support of this application, RMEC states that its loads and service reliability requirements continue to grow in the
area. To provide for its responsibilities, RMEC requires the addition of the line and substation.
The proposed line will be constructed with single pole structures supporting 336.4 MCM 26/7 ACSR conductor and an
overhead static consisting of 3/8" high strength steel. Potter Substation will step voltage from 138 kV to 13.2 kV for
distribution purposes.
Form completed by: Adam Toth
Date: 12-17-13
Representing: Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative Incorporated
APSC FILED Time: 12/18/2013 8:41:22 AM: Recvd 12/17/2013 4:41:33 PM: Docket 13-125-u-Doc. 1
NATURE OF ACTION: Please choose at least one, but no more than three docket types
Accounting
Acquisition/Sales
Act 310 of 1981 (Surcharge)
Act 821 of 1987 (Cooperatives Rate Change)
Administrative Procedures
Affiliate Rules
Annual Reports/Assessment
Ar Energy Conservation Act (Efficiency Programs)
Arbitration
Arkansas High Cost Fund
Arkansas Intralata Toll Pool
Arkansas Universal Service Fund
ARSI Arkansas Relay Service, Inc.
Auto Adjustment
Avoided Cost
CCN Cancellation
CCN Facility
CCN License
CECPN
Cost of Gas/Energy seasonal/unscheduled
Customer release/Abandonment
Declaratory Judgment
Depreciation
Dialing/Numbering
Disabilities Act of 1990
Earnings Review
Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Designation
Energy Policy Act
Energy/Fuel Purchasing Practices
EWG Exempt Wholesale Generator
Extended Area Service
Extension of Telecommunications Facilities Fund
Extraordinary Property Loss
FCC
Finance (Bonds/issue & sell; stock; prom note)
Grand Gulf
Integrated Resource Planning
Interconnection Agreements
Interest/Customer Deposit
Investigation/Inquiry
Lifeline/link up
Market Power
Merger/Transfer
Municipal Franchise Tax
Net Metering
Nuclear Decommissioning
One Call
Pipeline Safety
Pole attachment issues
Protective Order
Public Utility Holding Company Act
Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act
Purchase Power
Railroad
Rates
Refund
Reports
Resource Plan
Restructuring
Retail
River Crossing
Regional Transmission Organization
Rulemaking
Service Quality
Shielded Outdoor Lighting
Show Cause
Stranded Costs
Sustainable Energy Resources
Terms and Conditions
Territory/release/unallocated territory
Transition costs
Unbundling
USOA (Uniform System of Accounts)
Waiver/Exemption
Weather
Wholesale
Wholesale Rate Adjustment
APSC FILED Time: 12/18/2013 8:41:22 AM: Recvd 12/17/2013 4:41:33 PM: Docket 13-125-u-Doc. 1
APSC FILED Time: 12/18/2013 8:41:22 AM: Recvd 12/17/2013 4:41:33 PM: Docket 13-125-u-Doc. 1
APSC FILED Time: 12/18/2013 8:41:22 AM: Recvd 12/17/2013 4:41:33 PM: Docket 13-125-u-Doc. 1
APSC FILED Time: 12/18/2013 8:41:22 AM: Recvd 12/17/2013 4:41:33 PM: Docket 13-125-u-Doc. 1
APSC FILED Time: 12/18/2013 8:41:22 AM: Recvd 12/17/2013 4:41:33 PM: Docket 13-125-u-Doc. 1
BEFORE THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF RICH MOUNTAIN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. FOR A CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY TO CONSTRUCT, OPERATE, AND MAINTAIN CERTAIN TRANSMISSION FACILITIES IN POLK COUNTY ARKANSAS )
) ) ) ) ) DOCKET NO. __________ TESTIMONY OF ADAM L. TOTH ON BEHALF OF RICH MOUNTAIN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. DECEMBER 17, 2013 APSC FILED Time: 12/18/2013 8:41:22 AM: Recvd 12/17/2013 4:41:33 PM: Docket 13-125-u-Doc. 1
Arkansas Public Service Commission
Testimony of Adam L. Toth
Docket No. _________
Page 1 of 5
1
Q. Please state your name. 2
A. Adam L. Toth 3
830 E. Primrose St. Suite 200 4
Springfield, Missouri 65807 5
Q. By whom are you employed and what is your position? 6
A. I am employed by Toth & Associates, Inc., Consulting Engineers, Springfield, Missouri. I 7
am a registered Electrical Engineer and principal engineer in the firm. My work 8
experience is with electric power systems in the areas of planning and economic 9
analysis (both short term and long term); rate analysis; cost of service analysis; plus design. 10
11
Q. Would you briefly describe your educational and professional background? 12
A. I received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of 13
Missouri in 2004. I received a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Missouri 14
State University in 2007. Since graduation, I have attended numerous seminars on 15
system design. I am a registered engineer in the states of Arkansas (13971), Missouri 16
(PE‐2009001133), Oklahoma (24385), Iowa (20073), and Illinois (062.062417). Between 17
2004 and the present I have worked as an Engineering Intern and Professional Engineer 18
with Toth & Associates, Inc. I presently have project responsibility on a client basis in all 19
areas of planning and design. 20
APSC FILED Time: 12/18/2013 8:41:22 AM: Recvd 12/17/2013 4:41:33 PM: Docket 13-125-u-Doc. 1
Arkansas Public Service Commission
Testimony of Adam L. Toth
Docket No. _________
Page 2 of 5
1
Q. (APSC) or any other regulatory bodies? 2
3
Have you previously filed testimony with the Arkansas Public Service Commission A. I have not previously filed testimony in Arkansas. I did prepare and submit a cost of 4
service study in 2012 in docket 87‐159‐U. I have filed testimony before the Oklahoma 5
Corporation Commission. 6
Q. Please describe the activities of Toth & Associates, Inc. 7
A. Toth & Associates, Inc. is a consulting engineering firm with an office in Springfield, 8
Missouri. The firm commenced operation January 2004. The greater portion of the 9
work accomplished by Toth & Associates, Inc., has been for Cooperative and Municipal Power Systems in the states of Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Illinois and Iowa. 10
11
Q. Was Toth & Associates, Inc., retained by Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative Incorporated to prepare and submit material related to this docket? 12
13
A. Yes. 14
Q. What plans has the Cooperative made to determine how it will meet its responsibility in providing electric service to its members? 15
16
A. Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative Incorporated (RMEC) adopts a new construction 17
work plan approximately every four years. I recently prepared and sealed the 2014 to 18
2017 Construction Work Plan (CWP) for Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative. During the 19
planning process, loads were projected. System performance was analyzed and 20
recommended improvements developed to insure the provision of adequate capacity to APSC FILED Time: 12/18/2013 8:41:22 AM: Recvd 12/17/2013 4:41:33 PM: Docket 13-125-u-Doc. 1
Arkansas Public Service Commission
Testimony of Adam L. Toth
Docket No. _________
Page 3 of 5
1
serve the growing loads. Alternatives were analyzed based on electrical capacity 2
requirements, reliability and economies. 3
Q. Please describe the line, route and substation involved. 4
A. The line consists of .8 miles of 138kV conductor on supporting poles. The line source 5
will be a line tap structure owned by American Electric Power and will be constructed 6
under AEP’s line as shown on application Exhibit 1. RMEC will connect to the structure 7
and run its 138kV line northwest approximately 0.8 miles. The line will then terminate 8
on a steel structure in Potter Substation. Potter Substation will step voltage down from 9
138kV to 13.2kV utilizing a 10 MVA transformer. 10
Q. Were alternatives to the Potter Substation and Transmission line analyzed? 11
A. A long range plan was created for this area during the Construction Work Plan process. 12
Area loads were forecast twenty years in the future. Four potential alternatives were 13
analyzed which included a mixture of distribution, substation, and transmission 14
improvements to meet area needs. Construction of Potter Substation and the 15
transmission line to serve it was determined to be the lowest cost and most reliable 16
alternative. 17
The facilities are necessary to maintain adequate capacity and service reliability to 18
Cooperative members in Polk County, specifically around the Potter Junction area west 19
of Mena, Arkansas. The new facilities will take load off the Mena Substation, which APSC FILED Time: 12/18/2013 8:41:22 AM: Recvd 12/17/2013 4:41:33 PM: Docket 13-125-u-Doc. 1
Arkansas Public Service Commission
Testimony of Adam L. Toth
Docket No. _________
Page 4 of 5
1
does not have adequate capacity to provide for the future needs of the customers in the 2
Potter area. 3
Q. Has the 2014‐2017 Construction Work Plan been approved by the Board of Directors of Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative and Rural Utilities Service? 4
5
A. Yes. 6
Q. What criteria did the Cooperative use to select the current transmission line route and site for Potter Substation? 7
8
A. RMEC selected the transmission line route and substation site based on placing the 9
facility near the load center for the area. The transmission route and substation site 10
were chosen as the lowest cost route for RMEC due to the directness of the route. 11
RMEC has already obtained easement rights along the route as well as the substation 12
site. Environmental entities and RUS have determined the route to be acceptable. 13
Q. What are the cost estimate and manner of financing for these facilities? 14
A. The estimated cost of transmission facilities $275,000 and the estimated cost of Potter 15
Substation is $1,500,000. Improvements will be financed with long term loans from 16
Rural Utilities Service (RUS). The loans have been approved by RUS and funds are 17
expected to be available when needed. 18
Q. Cooperative? 19
20
Will the proposed facilities be constructed within the territory allocated to the A. Yes. APSC FILED Time: 12/18/2013 8:41:22 AM: Recvd 12/17/2013 4:41:33 PM: Docket 13-125-u-Doc. 1
Arkansas Public Service Commission
Testimony of Adam L. Toth
Docket No. _________
Page 5 of 5
1
Q. Are there any other matters or circumstances associated with this Certificate of Convenience and Necessity which you would like to convey to the commission? 2
3
A. No. 4
5
/s/ Adam L. Toth 6
Adam L. Toth, PE