Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

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

and

Corporation of the City of Nelson

Application for Approval of Electrical Utility Amendment Bylaw No. 3302, 2015

BEFORE:               L. F. Kelsey, Commissioner

                                C. A. Brown, Commissioner

                                H. G. Harowitz, Commissioner

                                K. A. Keilty, Commissioner                                           February 26, 2015

                                N. E. MacMurchy, Commissioner

                                I. F. MacPhail, Commissioner

                                D. M. Morton, Commissioner

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.    On February 5, 2015, the Corporation of the City of Nelson (City or Nelson Hydro) applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) for approval of Electrical Utility Amendment Bylaw No. 3302, 2015 (Bylaw) to increase its electrical rates by 2.02 percent, effective April 1, 2015;

B.    The Bylaw rate schedules include rates pertaining to the provision of electrical service to customers inside and outside of the City’s municipal boundaries;

C.    The electrical utility rate increase is required due to increases in Nelson Hydro’s operating costs, including increases in power purchase costs from its supplier FortisBC Inc. that were approved on an interim and refundable basis by Commission Order G-182-14; and

D.    The Commission reviewed Electrical Utility Amendment Bylaw No. 3302, 2015 and rate schedules, and finds that the applied for electrical utility rate increase is just and reasonable and that approval is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to sections 59 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act, the British Columbia Utilities Commission orders as follows:

1.       The Commission approves and accepts for filing the Corporation of the City of Nelson’s Electrical Utility Amendment Bylaw No. 3302, 2015 incorporating a 2.02 percent general rate increase to customers outside of its municipal boundaries, effective April 1, 2015.

2.       The Corporation of the City of Nelson, by way of a customer notice included in the next billing, must inform customers outside of its municipal boundaries of the rate increases.

3.       The Corporation of the City of Nelson must provide the Commission with a final certified copy of Electrical Utility Amendment Bylaw No. 3302, 2015 following all approvals.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this      26^th       day of February 2015.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

Original signed by:

                                                                                                                                D.M. Morton

                                                                                                                                Commissioner