Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

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

and

Applications for Participant Assistance/Cost Award

in the FortisBC Inc.

2012 and 2013 Revenue Requirements Application

and Review of 2012 Integrated System Plan

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

                                A.A. Rhodes, Commissioner                                        July 31, 2012

                                N.E. MacMurchy, Commissioner

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.      On June 30, 2011, FortisBC Inc. (FortisBC) filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) an application for approval of its 2012 – 2013 Revenue Requirements and the Review of its 2012 Integrated System Plan.  FortisBC filed an evidentiary update to the Application on November 4, 2011, which reduced the rate increase sought to 1.5 percent in 2012 and 6.5 percent in 2013;

B.      Commission Order G-199-11 issued on November 30, 2011, established a date for an oral public hearing commencing on Monday, March 5, 2012.  The hearing concluded on Friday, March 9, 2012;

C.      On May 3, 2012, FortisBC filed its Reply Submission;

D.    On May 9, 2012, the BC Sustainable Energy Association and the Sierra Club of British Columbia (BCSEA-SCBC) submitted their Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) Application for their participation in the proceeding;

E.    On May 30, 2012, the British Columbia Municipal Electric Utilities (BCMEU) submitted their PACA Application for their participation in the proceeding;

F.    On May 25, 2012, the British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. (BCOPAO) submitted their PACA Application for their participation in the proceeding;

G.   On June 1, 2012, the Industrial Customers Group (ICG) submitted their PACA Application for their participation in the proceeding;

H.    By email, FortisBC stated it had no comments with respect to BCSEA-SCBC, BCMEU or BCOAPO’s PACA Applications;

I.     FBC provided comments to ICG’s PACA Application, but states that it does not argue that ICG should be denied Intervener funding;

J.     The Commission has reviewed the PACA Applications 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 for the PACA applications in the proceeding.

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 118(1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the Commission approves:

1.    Participant Assistance/Cost Awards in the following amounts with respect to their participation in the proceeding:

2.      FortisBC Inc. is directed to reimburse the above-noted Participants for the Award amounts in a timely manner.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this       31^st            day of July 2012.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

Original signed by:

                                                                                                                                D.A. Cote

                                                                                                                                Panel Chair/Commissioner