Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, Chapter 473

and

Applications for Participant Assistance/Cost Awards

in the Application by British Columbia Transmission Corporation

for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity

for the Vancouver City Central Transmission Project

BEFORE:                 A.A. Rhodes, Panel Chair/Commissioner

                                L.A. O’Hara, Commissioner                                                 June 29, 2010

                                D.A. Cote, Commissioner

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.    On June 1, 2010, the British Columbia Public Interest Advocacy Centre submitted an application for a Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) on behalf of the BC Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. (BCOAPO) for its participation in the proceeding (Proceeding) to review the British Columbia Transmission Corporation (BCTC) Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for the Vancouver City Central Transmission Project (VCCT Project); and

B.     On May 31, 2010, the Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia (CEC) submitted a PACA application for a Cost Award for its participation in the Proceeding; and

C.     On May 14, 2010, Protest New Powerlines (PNP) submitted a PACA application for a Cost Award for its participation in the Proceeding; and

D.    On May 14, 2010, PNP’s consultant, Chris Anderson Associates, submitted a PACA application for a Cost Award for its participation in the Proceeding; and

E.     On May 14, 2010, PNP’s electrician, Walter McGinnis, submitted a PACA application for a Cost Award for its participation in the Proceeding; and

F.     By Order C-3-10 dated June 2, 2010, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) issued its Decision on BCTC’s Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Vancouver City Central Transmission Project; and

G.    By letter dated June 10, 2010, BCTC stated that it had reviewed the cost award applications submitted by BCOAPO, CEC, and PNP and found the BCOAPO and CEC claims to be substantially consistent with the Commission’s Participant

Assistance/Cost Award Guidelines.  BCTC reviewed the three cost claims submitted by PNP and found the claims relating to Chris Anderson Associates and Walter McGinnis to be substantially consistent with the Commission’s Participant Assistance/Cost Award Guidelines, but expressed some concerns with the claim for $1,200 made by PNP.  In particular, BCTC noted that the PNP receipts provided (which total in excess of $2,000) do not correspond to the $1,200 claim and many do not meet the definition of Eligible Costs under the Commission’s PACA Guidelines.  However, given the time invested in the VCCT Project regulatory process by PNP, including PNP’s participation at the procedural conference, reviewing the VCCT Application, reviewing information requests and responding to information requests, $1,200 appears to represent a reasonable sum; and

H.    Commission Order G-72-07 established Guidelines for PACA applications.

I.      The Commission Panel has reviewed the PACA applications and comments from BCTC with regard to the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines in Commission Order G-72-07 and has noted that BCTC was not opposed to the amounts of the PACA awards and has concluded the PACA applications should be approved as submitted for the participants in the proceeding.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows:

1.       Pursuant to section 118(1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the Commission awards funds to the following participants for their participation in the Proceeding that reviewed the BCTC Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Vancouver City Central Transmission Project.

2.       BCTC is directed to reimburse the above noted participants for the total amounts awarded in a timely manner.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                  29^th                             day of June 2010.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

                                                                                                                        Original signed by:

                                                                                                                                A.A. Rhodes

                                                                                                                                Panel Chair and Commissioner