Orders

LETTER NO. L-5-07 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 VIA E-MAIL regulatory.group@bchydro.com January 24, 2007 Ms. Joanna Sofield Chief Regulatory Officer British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority 17 th Floor, 333 Dunsmuir Street Vancouver, B.C. V6B 5R3 Dear Ms. Sofield: Re: British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority Winter Storm Damage to Grid System The Commission has received a number of written complaints concerning the extensive power outages that have affected many B.C. Hydro customers, and these have been forwarded to you under separate cover. Following each storm, our switchboard operators have also handled hundreds of telephone calls from around the Province including those located on Vancouver Island, the Coastal regions and the Lower Mainland. (By way of clarification, the Commission’s January 22, 2007 letter which referred to “hundreds of telephone complaints” are identified as “telephone calls”.) Our switchboard operators referred the calls to B.C. Hydro’s 1-888-POWERON telephone number, in order for the Utility to be aware of and act on specific outages. The media has also interviewed customers who have been affected and who have had power restored. We note that most seem very appreciative of the hard work that B.C. Hydro linesmen and contractors have done under very trying circumstances. The Commission would also like to express its appreciation for the hard work that crews have performed, often under dangerous conditions. Under the Utilities Commission Act, the Commission has a responsibility to ensure that customers are provided with reasonable, safe, adequate and fair service. In that context, we would expect that B.C. Hydro will be conducting a post mortem assessment and review of its electrical system and outages, including the related expenses following the recent winter storms and damage that resulted in hundreds of thousands of customers that experienced service interruptions which in some cases lasted for extended periods of time. B.C. Hydro may also need to evaluate whether its ability to receive the many telephone inquiries from customers proved to be adequate. Please provide the Commission with B.C. Hydro’s assessment of the power outages, the time required to restore service to some, most and all customers, and costs associated with the series of storm damages. Based on B.C. Hydro’s assessment of the events, what are the Utility’s recommendations to lessen damage to its extensive infrastructure from future severe incidents of a similar or different nature and to restore service in a more timely manner, and to provide customers with more timely useful information for those who have lost power? Can B.C. Hydro provide an estimate of the cost of implementing these recommendations? A report and response by May 31, 2007 would be appreciated. Yours truly, Original signed by Robert J. Pellatt RJP/yl Complaints/BCH/Cor/Winter Storm Damage – Rqst to BCH