Orders

IN THE MATTER Of

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

and

An Application by Terasen Gas Inc., Terasen Gas (Vancouver Island) Inc.

and Terasen Gas (Whistler) Inc.

2010 Long Term Resource Plan

BEFORE:               D.A. Cote, Panel Chair/Commissioner

                                L.A. O’Hara, Commissioner                                             August 4, 2010

                                A.W.K. Anderson, Commissioner

O R D E R

WHEREAS:

A.    On July 15, 2010 Terasen Gas Inc., Terasen Gas (Vancouver Island) Inc. and Terasen Gas (Whistler) Inc. (collectively Terasen Utilities) filed their 2010 Long Term Resource Plan (2010 LTRP; or Application) for the British Columbia Utilities Commission’s (Commission) review; and

B.    The 2010 LTRP examines future demand and supply resource conditions over the next 20 years and recommends actions needed during the next four years to ensure customers’ energy needs are met over the long term; and

C.    The 2010 LTRP discusses the rapidly changing energy planning environment in B.C.; the low carbon strategies  of Terasen Utilities; the new demand forecasting activities; the need to seek additional and ongoing funding approvals for the Terasen Utilities’ Energy Efficiency and Conservation programs; and regional infrastructure issues; and

D.    Section 44.1 of the Utilities Commission Act provides that the Commission may establish a process to review a long-term resource plan.  The Commission considers that an Order to establish a procedural conference and notice of Application is required.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follow:

1.       A Procedural Conference regarding the next steps in the regulatory review process will be held on Tuesday, September 21, 2010 to address matters such as: (a) identification of the principal issues arising from or related to the Application, (b) the regulatory review process, and (c) associated dates for the regulatory

review.  The Procedural Conference will commence at 9:00 a.m. in the Commission Hearing Room on the Twelfth Floor, 1125 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC.

2.       The deadline for Intervener and Interested Parties registration, Commission and Intervener Information Requests No. 1 and No. 2 to Terasen Utilities and the responses from the Terasen Utilities are set out in the Preliminary Regulatory Timetable attached as Appendix A to this Order.

3.       Terasen Utilities will publish, as soon as possible, in display-ad format, the Notice of Application and Procedural Conference attached as Appendix B to this Order, in such appropriate news publications as may properly provide adequate notice to the public in its service areas.

4.       Interveners and Interested Parties should register to participate in the Commission’s review of the Application with the Commission, in writing or by online web registration by Tuesday, September 14, 2010.  Interveners should specifically state the nature of their interest in the 2010 LTRP and identify the general nature of the issues that they intend to pursue during the review of the Application and the nature and extent of their anticipated involvement in the review process or processes.  They should advise the Commission whether they plan to attend the Procedural Conference.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this               4^th                   day of August 2010.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

                                                                                                                                  Original signed by:

                                                                                                                                D.A. Cote

                                                                                                                                Panel Chair/Commissioner

Attachments

Terasen Gas Inc. and Terasen Gas (Vancouver Island) Inc.

and Terasen Gas (Whistler) Inc.

2010 Long Term Resource Plan

PRELIMINARY REGULATORY TIMETABLE

Terasen Gas Inc.

Terasen Gas (Vancouver Island) Inc.

Terasen Gas (Whistler) Inc.

[collectively (Terasen Utilities)]

2010 Long Term Resource Plan

NOTICE OF APPLICATION AND PROCEDURAL CONFERENCE

THE APPLICATION

On July 15, 2010, Terasen Utilities filed its 2010 Long Term Resource Plan (2010 LTRP or Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (the Commission or BCUC).

The 2010 LTRP examines future demand and supply resource conditions over the next 20 years and recommends actions needed during the next four years to ensure customers’ energy needs are met over the long term.  This Application discusses the rapidly changing energy planning environment in BC; the low carbon strategies of Terasen Utilities; the new demand forecasting activities; the need to seek additional and ongoing funding approvals for the Terasen Utilities’ Energy Efficiency and Conservation programs; and regional infrastructure issues.

THE REGULATORY PROCESS

Order G-124-10 established a Procedural Conference to hear submissions on the regulatory process for review of the 2010 LTRP.  The Procedural Conference will commence at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 22, 2010 in the Commission Hearing Room on the Twelfth Floor, 1125 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC.

PUBLIC INSPECTION OF THE DOCUMENTS

The 2010 LTRP is available for inspection at the following locations:

REGISTERING TO PARTICIPATE

Persons who expect to actively participate in the review processes and Procedural Conference should register as Interveners.  When registering, Interveners should identify the Application(s) in which they wish to intervene.  Interveners will receive copies of any one or all of the Applications, all correspondence and filed documents.  Persons who wish to be involved, but are not expecting to actively participate should register with the Commission as Interested Parties and will receive a copy of the Applications’ summaries, all Orders issued, as well as the Commission’s Decision(s).

Interveners and Interested Parties must inform the Commission Secretary, in writing or online web registration, by September 14, 2010 of their intention to become Interveners or Interested Parties with respect to the TUS 2010 LTRP and their intention to attend the Procedural Conference.

All submissions and/or correspondence received from active participants or the public relating to the Application will be placed on the public record and posted to the Commission’s web site.

Further Information

For further information, please contact Erica Hamilton, Commission Secretary, by email at commission.secretary@bcuc.com, or by telephone at (604) 660-4700 (BC Toll Free:  1-800-663-1385).