Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

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

and

FortisBC Energy Inc.

2013 Customer Choice Program Sixth Annual General Meeting

BEFORE:               L.F. Kelsey, Commissioner

                                C.A. Brown, Commissioner                                          February 3, 2014

                                N.E. MacMurchy, Commissioner

                                B.A. Magnan, Commissioner

                                D.M. Morton, Commissioner

                                R.D. Revel, Commissioner

                                C. van Wermeskerken, Commissioner

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.      FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) obtained a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) on August 14, 2006 for the Commodity Unbundling Project for Residential Customers (Customer Choice), in accordance with the government’s 2002 energy policy, allowing for the direct sale of natural gas to residential and small volume commercial customers through gas marketing companies licensed by the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission);

B.      Article 34 of the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers requires the Commission to hold an Annual General Meeting to discuss program improvements or enhancements.  The Annual General Meeting can take place by written or in-person process, as determined by the Commission;

C.      On October 18, 2013, by Order A-12-13, the Commission established the fifth Customer Choice Annual General Meeting to discuss program improvements and enhancements;

D.      On November 14, 2013, the fifth Annual General Meeting was held, in-person, in Vancouver, British Columbia.  Participants included representatives of Access Gas, Bluestream Energy, Just Energy, Direct Energy, Summitt Energy, British Columbia Pensioners’ and Seniors’ Organization et. al., FEI and Commission staff.  During the meeting, participants reached consensus on a proposed hearing process for the sixth Annual General Meeting;

E.       The Commission has reviewed the proposed hearing process for the sixth Annual General Meeting and has determined that approval is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows:

1.       A hearing process is established for the sixth Customer Choice Program Annual General Meeting, following the Preliminary Hearing Timetable attached in Appendix A of the Order.

2.       FEI is to file the Customer Choice program statistics for the life of the program to the Commission by electronic submission by Friday, February 28, 2014.

3.       Parties wishing to participate as Interveners must register with the Commission in writing or by electronic submission by Friday, February 28, 2014.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this               3rd                  of February, 2014.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

                                                                                                                                Original Signed By:

                                                                                                                                D.M. Morton

                                                                                                                                Commissioner

Attachment

FortisBC Energy Inc.

2013 Customer Choice Sixth Annual General Meeting

PRELIMINARY HEARING TIMETABLE