Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

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

and

An Application by British Columbia Transmission Corporation

for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity

for the Columbia Valley Transmission Project

BEFORE:                         M.R. Harle, Panel Chair/Commissioner

                                        L.A. O’Hara, Commissioner                                         February 8, 2010

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.    On January 22, 2010, the British Columbia Transmission Corporation (“BCTC”) applied (the “Application”), pursuant to sections 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act (the “Act”), to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (the “Commission”) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (“CPCN”) to construct and operate the Columbia Valley Transmission Project (the “CVT Project”) as described in its Application; and

B.     BCTC is proposing the CVT Project as the preferred solution to serve load growth in Upper Columbia Valley area over a 30 year period; and

C.     The CVT Project has an estimated capital cost of approximately $154 million to construct: a 112 kilometer (“km”) long 230 kilovolt (“kV”) transmission line between Invermere and Golden, British Columbia; a new 230/69 kV substation near Golden including a new 3 km long 69 kV transmission line connection to the existing Golden substation; and related upgrades at existing substations in Cranbrook, Invermere and Golden.  The new facilities are scheduled to go into service in October 2012; and

D.    The Commission considers that a Procedural Conference is required to hear submissions on the appropriate regulatory process for the review of the Application.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows:

1.     A Procedural Conference regarding the regulatory process for the review of the Application will be held on Wednesday, March 17, 2010, commencing at 9:00 a.m. in the Commission Hearing Room on the Twelfth Floor, 1125 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, to address procedural matters which will include, but may not be limited to, the following:

a)   identification of the principal issues arising from or related to the Application,

b)  process options for the review of the Application, including community input session(s), an oral public hearing, a written public hearing or some other process,

c)   whether any Intervenors intend to submit written evidence,

d)  the Regulatory Timetable for information requests and responses, written evidence, other submissions and other steps in the process, and

e)  other matters that will assist the Commission to efficiently review the Application.

3.     The initial Regulatory Timetable for the Procedural Conference and review of the Application is attached as Appendix A.  The Commission will issue a further procedural Order and Regulatory Timetable for the proceeding following the Procedural Conference.

4.     BCTC will publish in display-ad format, the Notice attached as Appendix B to this Order, in the Vancouver Sun, the Province, the Victoria Times Colonist and such appropriate local news publications as may properly provide adequate notice to residents in the vicinity of the Columbia Valley Transmission Project.

5.     The Application, together with any supporting materials, will be made available for inspection at the BCTC Suite 1100, Four Bentall Centre, 1055 Dunsmuir Street PO Box 49260, Vancouver, BC V7X 1V5, and at the British Columbia Utilities Commission, Sixth Floor, 900 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2N3 and will also be available on the BCTC and BCUC websites.

6.     The Commission requires BCTC to provide a copy of this order to the First Nations considered to be relevant for inclusion in the consultation activities on the Project though their Chief and Council contacts, and advise the potentially affected First Nations of how they can raise outstanding concerns with the Commission before the Commission makes a decision on the Application.

7.     Intervenors or Interested Parties will register with the Commission in writing or by electronic submission by Monday, March 15, 2010 and advise whether they plan to attend the Procedural Conference.

8.       To assist the discussion at the Procedural Conference, Intervenors and Interested Parties are requested to file by Monday, March 15, 2010, a written submission that states: the nature of their interest in the Application; the nature of the issues that they may intend to pursue during the proceeding; the nature and extent of their anticipated involvement in the review process; and if possible recommend the regulatory process for the review of the Application.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this          8^th                day of February 2010.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

                                                                                                                                  Original signed by:

                                                                                                                                M.R. Harle

                                                                                                                                Panel Chair/Commissioner

Attachments

An Application by British Columbia Transmission Corporation

for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity

for the Columbia Valley Transmission Project

REGULATORY TIMETABLE

An Application by British Columbia Transmission Corporation

for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity

for the Columbia Valley Transmission Project

NOTICE OF APPLICATION AND PROCEDURAL CONFERENCE

The Application

On January 22, 2010, the British Columbia Transmission Corporation applied pursuant to sections 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act, to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (the “Commission”) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to construct and operate the Columbia Valley Transmission Project (the “CVT Project”) as described in its Application. 

The proposed $154 million CVT Project is comprised of a 112 kilometer (“km”) long 230 kilovolt (“kV”) transmission line between Invermere and Golden, British Columbia; a new 230/69 kV substation near Golden including a new 3 km long 69 kV transmission line connection to the existing Golden substation; and related upgrades at existing substations in Cranbrook, Invermere and Golden.  The CVT Project is planned to be in service by the fall of 2012.

The impact of the CVT Project is forecast to be $18.2 million or 3.01 percent on the BCTC Transmission Revenue Requirement and 0.60 percent on the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority Revenue Requirement in F2014.

The Regulatory Process

The Commission will hold a Procedural Conference commencing at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 in the Commission Hearing Room at Twelfth Floor, 1125 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC to hear submissions on the regulatory process for review of the Application. 

The initial Regulatory Timetable for the Procedural Conference can be viewed on the Commission website at www.bcuc.com.

Interventions

Persons who expect to actively participate in the BCTC proceeding should register with the Commission as Intervenors.  Persons not expecting to actively participate, but who have an interest in the proceeding should register with the Commission as Interested Parties.  Both groups should identify: the nature of their interest in the Application; the nature of the issues that they may intend to pursue during the proceeding; the nature and extent of their anticipated involvement in the review process; and if possible recommend the regulatory process for the review of the Application.

Intervenors will each receive a copy of the Application and all correspondence and filed documentation and should provide an e-mail address if possible.  Interested Parties will receive a copy of the Executive Summary in the Application, and all Orders and Decisions issued.  Intervenors and Interested Parties will register in writing no later than Monday, March 15, 2009.  Notification by mail, courier delivery, fax or e-mail is acceptable.

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

Public Inspection of the Documents

The Application and supporting materials will be available for inspection at the following locations:

British Columbia Utilities Commission

Sixth Floor, 900 Howe Street

Vancouver, BC   V6Z 2N3

British Columbia Transmission Corporation

Suite 1100, Four Bentall Centre, 1055 Dunsmuir Street

PO Box 49260, Vancouver, BC V7X 1V5

Internet:       www.bctc.com and www.bcuc.com

Further information

For further information please contact Ms. Erica Hamilton, Commission Secretary as follows:

Telephone: (604) 660-4700 / (BC Toll Free):  1-800-663-1385

Facsimile:      (604) 660-1102

E-mail:            Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com