BRIT I SH COLUMBIA UTIL IT I ES COMMISS ION ORDER NUMBER G‐167‐09 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 Inquiry into British Columbia’s Electricity Transmission Infrastructure and Capacity Needs for the Next 30 Years BEFORE: L.A. O’Hara, Commissioner and Panel Chair A.W.K. Anderson, Commissioner D.A. Cote, Commissioner December 21, 2009 M.R. Harle, Commissioner R.K. Ravelli, Commissioner O R D E R WHEREAS: A. Section 5(4) of the Utilities Commission Act (“UCA” or “Act”) provides that the British Columbia Utilities Commission (“Commission”) must conduct an inquiry (“Inquiry”) to make determinations with respect to British Columbia’s infrastructure and capacity needs for electricity transmission for the period ending 20 years after the day the Inquiry begins, or a different period if so specified by terms of reference issued by the Minister; and B. On December 11, 2008, the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources (“Minister”) issued Terms of Reference for the Inquiry which identify the general purpose of the Inquiry and state that the Commission is to circulate its draft report for public comment by June 30, 2010; and C. By Order G‐47‐09, the Commission released a Preliminary Inquiry Schedule stating that British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (“BC Hydro”), the British Columbia Transmission Corporation (“BCTC”) and FortisBC Inc. (“Fortis”) would file their base data, initial scenarios and the transmission implications of those scenarios by September 18, 2009; and D. On October 7, 2009, following three delays in the filing of the BCTC and BC Hydro evidence, BCTC and BC Hydro requested a fourth delay in filing what they respectively described as their “Initial Information” and “Information for Discussion” (collectively, “Initial Information”). BCTC stated that it was undertaking some changes to its Initial Information filing based on a policy level review by government. BCTC indicated it would endeavour to file its Initial Information in advance of the then‐scheduled October 28, 2009 Procedural Conference. BC Hydro indicated it would file its Initial Information along with BCTC; and E. On October 9, 2009, the Inquiry Panel issued letter L‐91‐09 which granted BCTC’s and BC Hydro’s October 7, 2009 request for delay, postponed the first four Regional Sessions, and suggested that further significant changes to the Inquiry schedule might be required; and
BRIT I SH COLUMBIA UTIL IT I ES COMMISS ION ORDER NUMBER G‐167‐09 2 F. By letter dated October 16, 2009 (Exhibit A‐33), the Inquiry Panel issued Order G‐124‐09, which postponed the remaining Regional Sessions set for November and December 2009, and the fourth Procedural Conference set for October 28, 2009, and stated that a new schedule would be established when there was more certainty on the date when the Initial Information will be filed; and G. On November 9, 2009, the Minister wrote to the Commission stating that he recognized that these delays might affect the ability of the Commission to meet the June 30, 2010 timeline for completing the draft report as set out in section 13 of the current Terms of Reference for the Inquiry and, accordingly, was open to consideration of an extension of this timeline in order to allow the successful completion of the Inquiry; and H. On December 15, 2009, the Minister wrote to the Commission stating that, following the Government’s consideration and policy responses to the recommendations of the Green Energy Advisory Task Force, he would issue amended Terms of Reference for the Inquiry, and that therefore it would not be productive to continue with the Inquiry before May 31, 2010. The Minister’s letter also stated that, during this period, he would not expect the Commission to request or receive submissions from Inquiry participants, other than those required for administrative purposes to suspend the Inquiry. NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows: 1. The Inquiry is suspended until May 31, 2010. 2. The Commission will not be accepting submissions on Inquiry issues, other than those required for administrative purposes to suspend the Inquiry. 3. The schedule set out in the Commission’s October 2, 2009 letter (Exhibit A‐28), as amended by Exhibit A‐29, for accepting and processing interim Participant Assistance Cost Awards, beyond those submitted for the third interim period that ended November 30, 2009, is rescinded. DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 21 st day of December 2009. BY ORDER Original signed by: Liisa A. O’Hara Panel Chair and Commissioner Orders/G‐167‐09_BCUC Section 5 Inquiry Suspended
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