Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

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

and

Application by The Corporation of the City of Nelson

for Approval of Electrical Utility Amendment Bylaw No. 3257, 2013

BEFORE:               B.A. Magnan, Commissioner

                                C.A. Brown, Commissioner                                          March 14, 2013

                                R.D. Revel, Commissioner

                                C. van Wermeskerken, Commissioner

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.      On March 4, 2013, the Corporation of the City of Nelson (the City) applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (the Commission) for approval of an Electrical Utility Amendment Bylaw to increase, effective April 1, 2013, its electrical rates by 5.95 percent;

B.      The Bylaw rate schedules include rates pertaining to the provision of electrical service to customers inside and outside of its municipal boundaries.  The Bylaw changes include continuation of the flattening of the General Service rate structure to be revenue neutral, before the general rate increase, in 2013.  The Bylaw received its Third Reading on March 4, 2013, and requires approval of the Commission prior to adoption;

C.      The electrical utility rate increase is required due to increases in City operating costs, including increases in power purchase costs from its supplier FortisBC Inc. that were approved by Commission Order G-159-12;

D.      The Commission has reviewed the Bylaw and rate schedules and finds that an electrical utility rate increase is necessary.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows:

1.       The Commission approves for the City of Nelson and accepts for filing Electrical Utility Amendment Bylaw No. 3257, 2013 incorporating a 5.95 percent general rate increase to customers and incorporating a revenue neutral status for the General Service rates, effective April 1, 2013.

2.       The City, by way of a customer notice included in the next billing, must inform customers of the rate increases.

3.       The City must provide the Commission with a final certified copy of the Bylaw following all approvals.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this        14^th            day of March 2013.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

                                                                                                                            Original signed by:

                                                                                                                                B.A. Magnan

                                                                                                                                Commissioner