Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

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

and

Application for Participant Assistance/Cost Awards

Regarding the FortisBC Energy Inc.

Working Group for 2011-2013 Gas Supply Mitigation Incentive Program Plan

BEFORE:               L.F. Kelsey, Commissioner                                           April 17, 2012

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.            Commission Order G-26-11 dated February 23, 2011, denied FortisBC Energy Inc.’ (FEI , formerly Terasen Gas Inc.) approval of its application for a revised Gas Supply Mitigation Incentive Program (GSMIP) for the period from November 1, 2010 through October 31, 2013, on the basis the proposed GSMIP did not provide sufficient benefits;

B.            Order G-26-11 also directed FEI to establish a consultative process with interested parties (Working Group) to revisit the objectives of the program and discuss the reformulation of the program to ensure alignment with the objectives;

C.            By Order G-163-11 dated September 22, 2011, the Commission approved the revised GSMIP for the period from November 1, 2011 to October 31, 2013;

D.            On October 13, 2011, the Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia (CEC) submitted a Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) application for its participation as a member of the Working Group;

E.             On October 19, 2011, the British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. (BCOAPO) submitted a PACA application for its participation in the Working Group;

F.             By letter dated November 8, 2011, FEI stated that it had reviewed the PACA applications of CEC and BCOAPO, and that it has no objection to the applications or the amounts sought;

G.           The Commission has reviewed the PACA applications and comments from FEI with regard to the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines in Commission Order G-72-07 and has concluded that cost awards should be approved to CEC and BCOAPO in the amounts set out in their respective applications.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows:

1.       Pursuant to section 118(1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the Commission awards funds in the following amounts to the participants for their participation in the GSMIP Working Group:

2.       FEI is directed to reimburse CEC and BCOAPO for the amounts that have been awarded in a timely manner.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this            17^th               day of April 2012.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

Original signed by:

                                                                                                                                L.F. Kelsey

                                                                                                                                Commissioner