Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

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

and

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

An Application for Approval of Changes Related to Meter Choices Program

BEFORE:                 L.F. Kelsey, Panel Chair/Commissioner                            October 11, 2013

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.       The British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed on October 7, 2013, pursuant to sections 58 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act (Act) and Direction No. 4 to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) (BC Reg. 203/2013), an application for approval of new standard charges, new Electric Tariff Terms and Conditions, and regulatory accounting treatment (Application);

B.       The Lieutenant Governor in Council issued Direction No. 4 on September 25, 2013, and provides direction to the Commission with respect to implementing the Government of British Columbia policy that BC Hydro will offer new meter options and related services to eligible customers who choose not to have a smart meter at their premises, and that eligible customers choosing an alternative meter option will have to pay additional charges designed to recover the costs attributable to their chosen option;

C.       Direction No. 4 also states that the Commission must, among other things, allow BC Hydro to collect sufficient revenue in each fiscal year to enable it to recover program costs, investigation costs and infrastructure costs related to smart meters from applicable customers, and to the extent that any of those costs are not recovered from applicable customers, allow BC Hydro to collect the costs from all customers;

D.       The Application sets out the new Terms and Conditions in sections 4 and 6 of the Electric Tariff, the charges for failed installation, and the charges that are to be applied to customers who have a legacy meter or a radio-off meter installed at their premises;

E.        Pursuant to Direction No. 4, the Commission issued Order G-166-13 dated October 9, 2013, approving: (a) the failed installation charge of $65, on an interim and refundable basis, effective as of October 25, 2013; (b) the  amended Electric Tariff as set out in the Appendix to  Direction No. 4; and (c) the use of its existing SMI Regulatory Account to include its program costs, investigation costs and infrastructure costs  that are not recovered from eligible customers at premises where a legacy meter or radio off meter is installed;

F.        The remaining items to be approved in the Application are:  (a) the failed installation charge on a final basis effective as of October 25, 2013; (b) charges to be applied to customers in relation to their choice of a legacy meter on a final basis effective December 2, 2013; and (c) the charges to be applied to customers in relation to their choice of a radio-off meter on a final basis effective April 1, 2014;

G.       BC Hydro has proposed the following charges:  (a) the legacy meter charge, to be effective December 2, 2013, at $35 per month; (b) the radio-off meter installation charge (from existing legacy meter), to be effective April 1, 2014, at $100; (c) the radio-off meter installation charge (from smart meter), to be effective April 1, 2014, at $155; and (d) the radio-off meter charge, to be effective April 1, 2014, at $20 per month;

H.       In the Application, BC Hydro indicates that it began contacting eligible customers to notify them of the meter choices the week of September 2, 2013, and that the enrolment period ends on December 1, 2013;

I.         BC Hydro is proposing a Commission decision by November 29, 2013 on the final charges; and

J.         The Commission has considered the scope of review for the remaining items to be approved, the level of public interest to date, and BC Hydro’s proposed regulatory timetable.  The Commission has determined that the remaining portion of BC Hydro’s Application will be reviewed by way of a written hearing in accordance with a schedule that allows for more fulsome participation.  The Commission has also determined that the proposed charges in the remaining items to be approved in the Application should be set as interim and refundable.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows:

1.       BC Hydro will promptly publish, in display-ad format, the Notice of Application attached as Appendix A to this Order, in the Vancouver Sun, the Province, and Times Colonist.

2.       BC Hydro will distribute copies of this Order and its Appendices in a timely fashion, via email, to the Registered Interveners and Interested Parties in the BC Hydro F2012-F2014 revenue requirements application proceedings.

3.       A written hearing process is established for the review of this Application, in accordance with the Regulatory Timetable attached as Appendix B to this Order.

4.       In reviewing the Application for Approval of Charges Related to Meter Choices Program, the written hearing is limited in scope to the recovery of costs of providing services to customers in relation to their choice of meters.  Direction No. 4, section 4 establishes limits on the Commission’s powers to review the Application.

5.       Those parties wishing to participate in the review of the Application must register with the Commission Secretary through the Commission’s website as soon as possible and no later than Thursday, October 24, 2013.  Parties wishing to be registered as Interveners should explain how this Application affects them or their clients.

6.       The proposed charges to be applied to customers that have a legacy meter installed at their premises are set on an interim and refundable basis, effective December 2, 2013.

7.       The proposed charges to be applied to customers that have a radio-off meter installed at their premises are set on an interim and refundable basis, effective April 1, 2014. 

8.       BC Hydro is to file the Amended Electric Tariff Pages that reflect the interim rates in a timely manner for Commission approval.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this         Eleventh        day of October 2013.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

                                                                                                                            Original signed by:

                                                                                                                                L.F. Kelsey

                                                                                                                                Commissioner

Attachments

BRITISH COLUMBIA HYDRO AND POWER AUTHORITY

An Application for Approval of Charges Related to Meter Choices Program

THE APPLICATION

The British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed on October 7, 2013, pursuant to sections 58 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act (Act) and Direction No. 4 to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) (BC Reg. 203/2013), an application for approval of new standard charges, new Electric Tariff Terms and Conditions, and regulatory accounting treatment (Application).

The Lieutenant Governor in Council issued Direction No. 4 on September 25, 2013, and provides direction to the Commission with respect to implementing the Government of British Columbia policy that BC Hydro will offer new meter options and related services to eligible customers who choose not to have a smart meter at their premises, and that eligible customers choosing an alternative meter option will have to pay additional charges designed to recover the costs attributable to their chosen option.

The Application sets out the new Terms and Conditions in sections 4 and 6 of the Electric Tariff, the charges for failed installation, and the charges that are to be applied to customers that have a legacy meter or a radio-off meter installed at their premises.

INTERVENTIONS

Persons wishing to actively participate in the proceeding must register as Interveners through the Commission’s website at www.bcuc.com as soon as possible.  In their registration, Interveners must identify the issues that they intend to pursue and indicate the extent of their anticipated involvement in the review process.  Interveners will each receive a copy of all non-confidential correspondence and filed documentation, and must provide an email address if available.  Parties must explain how their interests or their clients’ interests are affected and should be able to reference their interests with respect to the scope in the Application and Direction No. 4.

Persons not expecting to actively participate, but who have an interest in the proceeding, should register as Interested Parties through the Commission’s website or in writing, as soon as possible, identifying their interest in the proceeding. 

By participating and/or providing comment on the Application, you agree that all submissions and/or correspondence received will be placed on the public record and posted on the Commission’s website.

THE REGULATORY PROCESS

Commission Order G-167-13 establishes a Regulatory Timetable for the review of this Application and sets the deadline for Intervener and Interested Party registrations on Thursday, October 24, 2013.

PUBLIC INSPECTION OF THE DOCUMENTS

The Application and supporting documents will be available for viewing online and in person at:

FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information, please contact Erica Hamilton, Commission Secretary:

Telephone:           (604) 660-4700

BC Toll Free:         1-800-663-1385

Facsimile:              (604) 660-1102   

Email:                     commission.secretary@bcuc.com

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

An Application for Approval of Charges Related to Meter Choices Program

REGULATORY TIMETABLE