IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, Chapter 473
and
FortisBC Inc.
Application to Amend the FBC Electric Tariff B.C.U.C. No.2
for Service in the West Kootenay and Okanagan Areas 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 Inc. (FBC) 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 FBC 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 FBC’s application for the necessary tariff provisions, cost allocation methodology and accounting treatment necessary to introduce FBC’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, FBC 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 FBC Electric Tariff B.C.U.C. No. 2 to reflect the requirements of the amended Regulation; and
G. The Commission has reviewed the Application and finds that the requested amendments to FBC’s Electric Tariff B.C.U.C. No. 2 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 Inc.’s Electric Tariff B.C.U.C. No. 2 effective January 1, 2014.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 19th day of December 2013.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
D.M. Morton
Commissioner