LETTER N O. L-51-97 SIXTH FLOOR, 900 HOWE STREET, BOX 250 VANCOUVER, B.C. CANADA V6Z 2N3 TELEPHONE: (604) 660-4700 ROBERT J. PELLATT BC TOLL FREE: 1-800-663-1385 COMMISSION SECRETARY FACSIMILE: (604) 660-1102 August 28, 1997 Mr. Delbert W. Secord Kootenay Okanagan Electric Consumers Association RR #1, Site 2, Comp. 8 Peachland, B.C. V0H 1XO Dear Mr. Secord: Re: British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority __Wholesale Transmission Services Application__ The Commission has reviewed the August 22, 1997 letter of the Kootenay Okanagan Electric Consumers Association (KOECA) regarding B.C. Hydro's Wholesale Transmission Services Application. In the letter, the KOECA presents its views on some issues related to the B.C. Hydro's Wholesale Transmission Services Application (WTS) and poses some questions. With respect to point 1(a) of the letter, regarding the KOECA's request that the Commission provide a "Public Information Officer" to assist intervenors in dealing with the volume of information filed during the hearing, the Commission already employs an Information Services Officer who catalogues BCUC information that is available to the public. Filed documents, transcripts and other information relating to public hearings, including the WTS Application, is available for review in the Commission’s Library during normal office hours and, in a Resource Room during hearing hours. As outlined in the Notice of Public Hearing attached to Order No. G-83-97, contact with BCUC technical staff is also available to participants. Ms. Deborah Emes, Manager of Strategic Services is the lead technical staff member for the WTS Application and you may contact her at (604) 660-4700 or BC Toll Free: 1-800-663-1385. Point 1(b) of the KOECA's letter suggests that the hearings be deferred until after the submission of the final report of the Task Force on Electricity Market Reform and the response of the provincial cabinet and/or legislature. The Commission considered the potential impacts of the Task Force before setting the most recent timetable for considering the implementation of Wholesale Transmission Services. The current schedule is also consistent with the Government direction to the Commission regarding the Electricity Market Structure Review (EMSR). At that time, clause 9 of the Terms of Reference for the EMSR stated that the Commission should not suspend or otherwise delay initiatives undertaken under its existing regulatory mandate "... including B.C. Hydro's anticipated wholesale wheeling application." Further, as alluded to in the KOECA's letter, the lack of a Wholesale Transmission tariff by B.C. Hydro .../2
2 could have negative implications on B.C. Hydro's ability to market surplus power of Columbia Treaty Downstream benefits in the U.S. with negative consequences for customer rates. The Commission has given interim approval to B.C. Hydro's WTS tariffs in order to avoid this consequence, but delaying a more detailed review of the interim tariffs also could have potentially negative consequences for domestic ratepayers. Therefore, the Commission considers the review of the WTS Application to be necessary at this time. Finally, with respect to the questions raised in section 2 of the KOECA's letter, these would best be responded to by the utilities involved and hence by copy of this letter B.C. Hydro is requested to respond to questions 2(c), 2(d), and 2(f), and West Kootenay Power to respond to question 2(e). With regard to KOECA’s Intervenor status, the Commission notes that there are presently three individuals listed as representing KOECA’s interests. Please identify which individual should be listed as the Intervenor of record so that the Commission may amend the Intervenor listing accordingly and show a single contact person for the group. Yours truly, Original signed by: Robert J. Pellatt JWF/mmc cc: Ms. Darlene Barnett, Senior Vice President Marketing and Customer Services British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority Mr. Robert H. Hobbs Director, Regulatory Affairs and Corporate Secretary West Kootenay Power Ltd. Mr. Carl Hilland, Secretary Kootenay Okanagan Electrical Consumers Association Mr. Fred Marsh, Director Kootenay Okanagan Electrical Consumers Association BCH/97WTS/KOECA Delay Request
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