B R I T I S H C O L U M B IA 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 ER G-132-01 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 Applications by Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. and Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. (Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, and Tumbler Ridge Divisions) for Approval to Amend 2002 Rates BEFORE: P. Ostergaard, Chair ) N.F. Nicholls, Commissioner ) December 13, 2001 P.G. Bradley, Commissioner ) O R D E R WHEREAS: A. By Order No. G-127-01 dated November 22, 2001, the Commission directed that Methanex Corporation’s (“Methanex”) September 28, 2001 application for a load retention rate would be reviewed coincident with Pacific Northern Gas Ltd.’s (“PNG”) 2002 Revenue Requirements Application. That Order made PNG’s rates to Methanex interim effective October 1, 2001; and B. On November 30, 2001, PNG and Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. (Fort St. John, Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge Divisions) [“PNG (N.E.)”] filed for approval its 2002 Revenue Requirements Applications (“the Applications”) to increase its rates on an interim and final basis, effective January 1, 2002, pursuant to Sections 91 and 58 of the Utilities Commission Act; and C. Forecasted changes in gas supply charges for 2001/02 were reflected in the Applications but are separately determined by the Commission; and D. The Commission requires that a regulatory process to deal with the Applications be established. NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows: 1. The Commission will hold a Pre-hearing Conference on the Applications in Vancouver on Tuesday, January 8, 2002 commencing at 9:00 a.m. (10:00 a.m. in Dawson Creek) with video conferencing linkages in Terrace and Dawson Creek. The Pre-hearing Conference will address procedural matters which will include, but not be limited to, the following: • completeness of the Applications, • identification of principal issues, • proceedings with regard to the PNG (N.E.) Application, • location(s) of the PNG (N.E.) proceedings, and • other matters that will enable the proceeding to efficiently cover and review all aspects of the Applications. …/2
B R IT I S H C O L U M B IA U T IL I T IE S C O M M I S S I O N O R D ER N U M B ER G-132-01 2 2. The PNG Application will be examined in an oral public hearing and the Regulatory Timetable, attached as Appendix A, has been established. The public hearing into the PNG Application will commence on Wednesday, March 6, 2002 in Terrace, B.C. with a priority given for local participation. The public hearing into the PNG Application will resume on Monday, March 11, 2002 in Vancouver, B.C. with a priority given to testimony on capital structure and rate of return on common equity. 3. PNG and PNG (N.E.) will publish, as soon as possible, in display-ad format, the Notice of Pre-hearing Conference, attached as Appendix B, in such appropriate local news publications as may properly provide adequate notice to the public in its service areas. 4. The Application and supporting material will be made available for inspection at public libraries in Prince Rupert, Terrace, Kitimat, Houston, Smithers, Burns Lake, Vanderhoof, Fort St. James, Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, and Tumbler Ridge, at the Head Office of PNG at Suite 950, 1185 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6E 4E6 and at the British Columbia Utilities Commission, Sixth Floor, 900 Howe Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6Z 2N3. 5. PNG and PNG (N.E.) are to provide a copy of this Order, by facsimile if possible, to all Intervenors and Interested Parties registered in the PNG and PNG (N.E.) 2001 Revenue Requirements Applications proceedings, as well as all large industrial customers, as soon as possible. 6. Intervenors and Interested Parties should inform the Commission, in writing, by Friday, January 4, 2002, of their intention to intervene and/or to attend the Pre-hearing Conference. 7. Intervenors intending to apply for participant assistance must submit a budget estimate by Friday, January 11, 2002 consistent with the Commission’s Participant Assistance/Cost Award Guidelines. Copies are available upon request or can be downloaded from the Commission’s web site at http://www.bcuc.com/bcuc/paca.html. DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 13 th day of December 2001. BY ORDER Original signed by: Peter Ostergaard Chair Attachment
PACIFIC NORTHERN GAS LTD. Application for Approval of 2002 Revenue Requirements REGULATORY AGENDA Action Methanex Updates to Load Retention Rate Application, if any Registration of Intervenors and Interested Parties Pre-hearing Conference Commission Staff Information Requests issued to PNG and Methanex Budget Estimates for Participant Assistance submitted Intervenor Information Requests issued to PNG and Methanex PNG and Methanex Responses to Information Requests Intervenor Evidence Filed Information Requests on Intervenor Evidence Issued Intervenor Information Responses Public hearing commences in Terrace Public hearing resumes in Vancouver APPENDIX A to Order No. G-132-01 Page 1 of 1 Date 2001/2002 Wednesday, December 19 Friday, January 4 Tuesday, January 8 Friday, January 11 Friday, January 11 Wednesday, January 16 Monday, January 28 Monday, February 4 Friday, February 8 Friday, February 15 Wednesday, March 6 Monday, March 11
APPENDIX B to Order No. G-132-01 Page 1 of 2 TELEPHONE: (604) 660-4700 SIXTH FLOOR, 900 HOWE STREET, BOX 250 BC TOLL FREE: 1-800-663-1385 VANCOUVER, B.C. V6Z 2N3 CANADA FACSIMILE: (604) 660-1102 web site: http://www.bcuc.com PACIFIC NORTHERN GAS LTD. and PACIFIC NORTHERN GAS (N.E.) LTD. (FORT ST. JOHN/DAWSON CREEK AND TUMBLER RIDGE DIVISIONS) Applications for Approval of 2002 Revenue Requirements NOTICE OF PRE-HEARING CONFERENCE Date: Tuesday, January 8, 2002 Time: 9:00 a.m. (10:00 a.m. in Dawson Creek) Locations: Public Works & Government Services Canada 300 West Georgia Street Library Square Tower, 2 nd Floor, Suite 212 Vancouver, B.C. V6B 6B4 with video-conferencing links to : North Coast Regional Correspondence School 3211 Kenney Street Terrace, B.C. V8G 3E9 Ministry of Attorney General-Courts 1201-103 rd Avenue Dawson Creek, B.C. V1G 4J2 THE APPLICATIONS Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. (“PNG”) and Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd.- Fort St. John/Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge Divisions [“PNG (N.E.)”] have applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (“the Commission”) for approval to adjust rates, effective January 1, 2002. These Applications seek to recover increased revenue requirements associated with delivering natural gas. The Applications request an increase in the gas delivery charge in residential rates of about 13 to 16 percent and an increase in the gas delivery charge in small commercial rates of about 12 to 16 percent to be effective January 1, 2002. PNG and PNG (N.E.) have also applied for significant cost of gas decreases, which result in a net decrease in rates to sales customers. THE REGULATORY PROCESS The Commission has scheduled a public hearing for the PNG Application commencing in Terrace, B.C. on Wednesday, March 6, 2002, with a priority given to matters raised by PNG customers in the region. The PNG public hearing will continue in Vancouver on Monday, March 11, 2002, with a priority given to testimony on capital structure and rate of return on common equity. PNG (N.E.) requests that its Application be dealt with by a Negotiated Settlement Process. The Commission will hold a Pre-hearing Conference in Vancouver with video-conferencing links in Terrace and Dawson Creek, on Tuesday, January 8, 2002 to discuss procedural matters which will include, but not be limited to, the following: …/2
APPENDIX B to Order No. G-132-01 Page 2 of 2 • completeness of the Applications, • identification of principal issues, • proceedings with regard to the PNG (N.E.) Application, • location(s) of the PNG (N.E.) proceedings, • other matters that will enable the proceeding to efficiently cover all aspects of the Applications. PUBLIC INSPECTION OF THE DOCUMENTS The Applications and supporting material will be made available for inspection at public libraries in Prince Rupert, Terrace, Kitimat, Houston, Smithers, Burns Lake, Vanderhoof, Fort St. James, Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, and Tumbler Ridge, at the Head Office of PNG at Suite 950, 1185 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6E 4E6, and at the British Columbia Utilities Commission, Sixth Floor, 900 Howe Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6Z 2N3. INTERVENTIONS Persons who expect to actively participate in either the PNG or PNG (N.E.) proceeding, or both, should register as Intervenors with the Commission, in writing, by Friday, January 4, 2002 and identify the proceeding(s). Intervenors will receive copies of the Application, all correspondence and filed documentation. Persons not expecting to actively participate, but who have an interest in either the PNG or PNG (N.E.) proceeding, or both, should register as Interested Parties with the Commission, in writing, by Friday, January 4, 2002 and identify the proceeding(s). Interested Parties will receive a copy of the Application’s Executive Summary and all Orders issued. PARTICIPANT ASSISTANCE Intervenors intending to apply for Participant Assistance must submit a budget estimate consistent with the Commission's Participant Assistance/Cost Award Guidelines. Copies are available upon request or on the Commission’s web site: http://www.bcuc.com/bcuc/paca.html FURTHER INFORMATION For further information, please contact Mr. Robert J. Pellatt, Commission Secretary, or Mr. Barry McKinlay, Manager, Rates and Finance as follows: Telephone: (604) 660-4700 E-Mail: Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com Facsimile: (604) 660-1102 Telephone: (B.C. Toll Free) 1-800-663-1385 BY ORDER Original signed by: Robert J. Pellatt
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