B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A U T I L I T IE S C O M M I S S I O N O R D E R N U M B ER G-130-99 SIXTH FLOOR, 900 HOWE STREET, BOX 250 TELEPHONE: (604) 660-4700 VANCOUVER, B.C. V6Z 2N3 CANADA BC TOLL FREE: 1-800-663-1385 web site: http://www.bcuc.com FACSIMILE: (604) 660-1102 IN THE MATTER OF the Utilities Commission Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, Chapter 473 and An Application by Princeton Light and Power Company, Limited for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to Construct a Princeton Substation and to Connect to British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority BEFORE: P. Ostergaard, Chair ) L.R. Barr, Deputy Chair ) December 9, 1999 O R D E R WHEREAS: A. On September 16, 1999, Princeton Light and Power Company, Limited (“PLP”) applied for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (“CPCN”) to construct a 138/12.6 kV substation 4 kilometers north of Princeton, B.C., which would allow PLP to switch from West Kootenay Power Ltd. (“WKP”) service to British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (“B.C. Hydro”) service. The Application also contained a Letter of Intent from B.C. Hydro for energy supply until October 30, 2005 and project financing; and B. On September 24, 1999, Commission staff requested information from PLP concerning its proposed project. Responses to the Commission’s requests were received from PLP on September 28, 1999; and D. On September 24, 1999, Commission staff invited comments from B.C. Hydro and WKP on PLP’s Application and its information responses. Both B.C. Hydro and WKP replied on October 22, 1999, while PLP provided further comment on October 25, 1999; and E. On October 29, 1999, the Commission, by Order No. G-113-99, established a Workshop and Pre-Hearing Conference to consider PLP’s CPCN Application. This meeting was held in Princeton on November 18, 1999 and focussed on the two major issues contained in the Application: (i) the acceptability of the proposed power purchase contract between PLP and B.C. Hydro; and (ii) the relative merits of PLP constructing a new substation as compared to WKP undertaking improvements to its existing substation at Princeton; and F. At the Workshop, WKP agreed to provide a report to the Commission by November 26, 1999, defining the cost of upgrading its existing substation to deliver reliability comparable to the new substation proposed by PLP. This report was received on November 26, 1999, and contained a proposal for upgrading the existing Princeton substation and supplying PLP with power year-round from B.C. Hydro. WKP suggested that this proposal could be developed with PLP and Commission staff or, in the event that the proposal is not accepted, WKP reiterated its assertion that a public hearing is necessary to consider this Application; and G. On November 23, 1999, Commission staff wrote to B.C. Hydro requesting clarification of B.C. Hydro's position with regard to the terms of supply that PLP could expect following the expiry of the five-year contract that PLP is proposing to sign with B.C. Hydro as part of the current Application. B.C. Hydro responded to this request on December 1, 1999; and .../2
2 H. On November 24, 1999 Commission staff distributed “Meeting Notes” from the November 18, 1999 Workshop and Pre-Hearing Conference, and sought comments from any participants who felt that their views had be mis-characterised or omitted. No such comments were received; and I. On December 1, 1999, PLP wrote to the Commission expressing its view that none of the information supplied by either WKP or B.C. Hydro has changed its view about the appropriateness of proceeding with its Application; and J. The Commission has considered all of the information before it. NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows: 1. A public hearing into PLP’s Application for a CPCN to build a substation and to enter into an energy supply and project financing contract with B.C. Hydro will be held at the Royal Canadian Legion Hall, 170 Bridge Street, Princeton, B.C., commencing on Tuesday, February 8, 2000 at 9:00 a.m. 2. This proceeding will follow the Regulatory Timetable that is attached as Appendix A to this Order. 3. PLP is to publish the Notice of Public Hearing, attached as Appendix B to this Order, in the Similkameen News Leader and the Similkameen Spotlight newspapers, as soon as possible. DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 9 AttachmentsB R I T I S H C O L U M B I A U T I L I T I E S C O M M I S S I O N O R D ER N U M B E R G-130-99 th day of December 1999. BY ORDER Original signed by: Peter Ostergaard Chair
SIXTH FLOOR, 900 HOWE STREET, BOX 250 VANCOUVER, B.C. V6Z 2N3 CANADA web site: http://www.bcuc.com REGULATORY TIMETABLE An Application by Princeton Light and Power Company, Limited for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to Construct a Princeton Substation and to Connect to British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority ACTION Deadline for Princeton Light & Power to File Direct Evidence Deadline for Participant Funding Budget Estimates Deadline for Information Requests Deadline for Information Responses Deadline for Evidence from Other Parties Public Hearing Commences APPENDIX A to Order No. G-130-99 Page 1 of 1 TELEPHONE: (604) 660-4700 BC TOLL FREE: 1-800-663-1385 FACSIMILE: (604) 660-1102 DATE December 22, 1999 January 5, 2000 January 7, 2000 January 21, 2000 January 28, 2000 February 8, 2000
APPENDIX B to Order No. G-130-99 Page 1 of 1 SIXTH FLOOR, 900 HOWE STREET, BOX 250 ROBERT J. PELLATT VANCOUVER, B.C. CANADA V6Z 2N3 COMMISSION SECRETARY TELEPHONE: (604) 660-4700 Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com BC TOLL FREE: 1-800-663-1385 web site: http://www.bcuc.com FACSIMILE: (604) 660-1102 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Princeton Light and Power Company, Limited Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to Construct a Princeton Substation and to Connect to British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority Date: Tuesday, February 8, 2000 Time: 9:00 a.m. Location: Royal Canadian Legion Hall 170 Bridge Street, Princeton, B.C. THE APPLICATION Princeton Light and Power Company, Limited (“PLP”) has applied for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to build a 138/12.6 kV substation 4 kilometers north of Princeton, B.C. PLP requires the substation to create a direct connection between the PLP distribution system and the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority transmission system through B.C. Hydro's 138 kV line from the Nicola substation near Merritt to Princeton. With this connection, PLP would be in a position to leave West Kootenay Power Ltd. service on October 30, 2000. The project is estimated to cost $1.75 million. PUBLIC INSPECTION OF THE APPLICATION Copies of Order No. G-130-99 and all other material related to this Application are available for inspection at: Princeton Light and Power Company Head Office: 91 Billiter Avenue Princeton, B.C. British Columbia Utilities Commission Sixth Floor, 900 Howe Street Vancouver, B.C. FURTHER INFORMATION Persons intending to participate in the public hearing and who are uncertain how to proceed, may contact Mr. Robert J. Pellatt, Commission Secretary, or Mr. Jim Fraser, Manager of Strategic Services, as follows: Telephone: (604) 660-4700 Facsimile: (604) 660-1102 B.C. Toll Free: 1-800-663-1385 E-mail: commission.secretary@bcuc.com BY ORDER Original signed by: Robert J. Pellatt
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