IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, Chapter 473
and
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
Transmission Service Rate – Customer Baseline Load Dispute
BEFORE: L.F. Kelsey, Panel Chair/Commissioner August 10, 2012
O R D E R
WHEREAS:
A. On November 10, 2011, the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed its Transmission Service Rate (TSR) Customer Baseline Load (CBL) Fiscal Year 2011 and Fiscal Year 2012 Application (F2011/F2012 CBL Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) seeking approval of, among other matters, the continuance of the Interim F2011 CBL for Neucel Specialty Cellulose Ltd. (Neucel). BC Hydro noted that Neucel’s CBL for Fiscal Year 2010 (F2010) is in dispute and must be resolved before any subsequent CBL determination for F2011 and F2012 can be made;
B. On March 30, 2012, BC Hydro filed its Amendment #1 to the F2011/F2012 CBL Application. BC Hydro stated Neucel had informed BC Hydro that it would formally confirm its F2010 CBL dispute with the Commission on March 30, 2012. BC Hydro requested the Commission establish a process to deal with the Neucel dispute;
C. On March 30, 2012, Neucel requested the Commission make a determination regarding its dispute with BC Hydro for its Adjusted F2010 CBL;
D. Section 6.2.3 of the BC Hydro Electric Tariff Supplement No. 74 CBL Determination Guidelines states that if the customer disagrees with the CBLs as determined by BC Hydro, the customer may raise its dispute with the Commission;
E. By Order G-45-12 dated April 12, 2012, the Commission established a Regulatory Schedule to review the Neucel CBL dispute in a written hearing process;
F. BC Hydro requested that the filing and associated documents remain confidential due to their commercially sensitive nature;
G. The Commission has reviewed all evidence on the record and considers that Neucel’s CBL dispute should be resolved.
NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows:
1. The Final Adjusted F2010 CBL for Neucel is set out in the Reasons for Decision attached as Appendix A to this Order.
2. BC Hydro is directed to file a status update within 60 days of the date of this Order, in consultation with Neucel, on the determination of Neucel’s Final Adjusted F2011 CBL effective April 1, 2010, and Interim F2012 CBL effective April 1, 2011.
3. To protect commercially sensitive information, all detailed information about the operations of the customer, including the Reasons for Decision, will be kept confidential.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 10th day of August 2012.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
L.F. Kelsey
Panel Chair/Commissioner
Confidential Attachment