IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, Chapter 473
and
FortisBC Energy Inc.
Application to Amend the FEI General Terms and Conditions Effective January 1, 2014
BEFORE: L.F. Kelsey, Commissioner
C.A. Brown, Commissioner
N.E. MacMurchy, Commissioner December 19, 2013
B.A. Magnan, Commissioner
D.M. Morton, Commissioner
R.D. Revel, Commissioner
C. van Wermeskerken, Commissioner
O R D E R
WHEREAS:
A. The Clean Energy Act, section 17.1, requires prescribed public utilities to offer financing to eligible persons for improving the energy efficiency of a building, or part of a building. FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) is a prescribed public utility for the purposes of section 17.1 of the Clean Energy Act;
B. On July 24, 2012, the Improvement Financing Regulation was issued and subsequently amended on September 13, 2012 (Regulation), providing further requirements and prescriptions for the financing program to be established by a prescribed public utility. The Regulation specified the scope and certain terms and conditions of the home improvement financing that FEI must offer to eligible persons in the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, British Columbia for a two-year period beginning November 1, 2012;
C. On October 30, 2012, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) issued Order G-163-12 approving FEI’s application for the necessary tariff provisions, cost allocation methodology and accounting treatment necessary to introduce FEI’s On-Bill Financing Program on a pilot basis in the South Okanagan area, as required by the Regulation;
D. On November 7, 2012, the Commission accepted the revised Tariff pages;
E. On April 4, 2013, the Regulation was amended to extend the duration of the financing program to January 1, 2015, relax the eligibility requirement for participation in the financing program and, effective January 1, 2014, to expand the eligibility to the City of Kelowna;
F. On October 23, 2013, FEI filed an Application pursuant to the Clean Energy Act, section 17.1(9) and sections 59 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act, seeking approval of amendments to the FEI General Terms and Conditions to reflect the requirements of the amended Regulation; and
G. The Commission has reviewed the Application and finds that the requested amendments to FEI’s General Terms and Conditions comply with the Clean Energy Act and the Regulation.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to sections 59 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act, the Commission approves the amendments to FortisBC Energy Inc.’s General Terms and Conditions effective January 1, 2014.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this day of December 2013.
BY ORDER
D.M. Morton
Commissioner