Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

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

and

Participant Assistant / Cost Award Applications

in the FortisBC Energy Inc.

Application for Approval to Amend Rate Schedule 16 on a Permanent Basis

BEFORE:               A.A. Rhodes, Panel Chair/Commissioner

                                B.A. Magnan, Commissioner                                          February 4, 2014

                                D.M. Morton, Commissioner

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.      On September 24, 2012, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission), pursuant to sections 59-61 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), for approval of an amended Rate Schedule 16 to provide Liquefied Natural Gas sales and dispensing service on a long-term and short-term firm basis and on a spot load basis (the Application);

B.      On October 26, 2012, by Order G-158-12, the Commission established a Written Hearing process and a Preliminary Regulatory Timetable setting a first round of Information Requests (IRs) and a date of January 14, 2013, for a Procedural Conference in which the nature and extent of further regulatory process would be determined;

C.      By Order G-166-12 dated November 5, 2012, the Commission compressed the Regulatory Timetable and scheduled a Procedural Conference for December 10, 2012;

D.      By Order G-186-12 dated December 7, 2012, the Commission postponed the Procedural Conference pending the release of the Commission report on the FEI Alternative Energy Services Inquiry;

E.       The Commission provided a further Regulatory Timetable in G-14-13 dated January 25, 2013, which provided for a second round of IRs and the opportunity for Interveners to file evidence;

F.       On June 4, 2013, the Commission issued its Decision together with Order G-88-13;

G.      Between March 27 and April 15, 2013, the following Interveners filed applications for a Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) funding:

▪  British Columbia Pensioners’ and Seniors’ Organization et al. (BCPSO);

▪  B.C. Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA);

▪  Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia (CEC);

H.      By letter dated June 25, 2013 to the Commission, FEI provided comments on the PACA applications indicating it has no comments regarding the time identified or amounts applied for so long as the Commission has no concerns;

I.        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 concluded that cost awards should be approved for the PACA applications in the proceeding.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows:

1.       Pursuant to section 118 (1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the Commission awards funds in the following amounts to the Interveners for their participation in the proceeding. 

2.       FortisBC Energy Inc. is directed to reimburse the above noted Interveners for the amounts that have been awarded in a timely manner.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this             4^th             day of February 2014.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

A.A. Rhodes

Panel Chair/Commissioner