Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

2015 Rate Design Application

BEFORE:               D. M. Morton, Commissioner/Panel Chair

                                D. A. Cote, Commissioner                                            September 29, 2015

                                K. A. Keilty, Commissioner

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.      British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed on September 24, 2015, pursuant to sections 58-61 in the Utilities Commission Act, the 2015 Rate Design Application; and

B.      The British Columbia Utilities Commission commenced its review of the Application and has determined that a regulatory timetable should be established, and a procedural conference be held on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 to determine the method and timing for further review of the 2015 Rate Design Application.

NOW THEREFORE the British Columbia Utilities Commission orders as follows:

1.       Intervener and interested party registration and the first round of information requests are established in accordance with the regulatory timetable attached as Appendix A to this order.

2.       The Commission invites applicant and intervener submissions on the matters raised in Appendix B of this order and any other matters they wish to bring to the attention of the Panel prior to the procedural conference. Submissions must be filed on or before October 14, 2015, and the reply submissions to each other, if any, on or before October 21, 2015.

3.       British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) will publish, as soon as practicable but no later than October 7, 2015, in display-ad format, a notice of the 2015 Rate Design Application attached as Appendix C to this order, in such appropriate local news publications as may properly provide adequate notice to the public in its service area.

4.       A procedural conference will be held on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 commencing at 1:30 p.m. in the Commission’s Hearing Room on the 12^th Floor at 1125 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC.

5.       BC Hydro is to provide a copy of this order to all the stakeholders who participated in the 2015 Rate Design Application workshops.

6.       The Application and any supporting materials will be made available for inspection at BC Hydro’s head office in Vancouver and at the Commission’s office.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this     16^th          day of November 2015.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

                                                                                                                            Original signed by:

                                                                                                                D. M. Morton

                                                                                                                                Commissioner

Attachments

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

2015 Rate Design Application

REGULATORY TIMETABLE

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

2015 Rate Design Application

Issues to be Addressed in Submissions

The Commission invites submissions, in accordance with the Regulatory Timetable in Appendix A, on the following matters:

1.       BC Hydro’s recommendation that the review process for the F2016 Cost of Service (COS) study, which could consist of a Negotiated Settlement Process (NSP), be addressed at its proposed December 2015 procedural conference.[1] The Commission wishes to hear from all parties their positions on the significance of the F2016 COS study in the 2015 RDA given the recent B.C. Reg 140/2015 Order-in-Council (OIC) 405 dated July 15, 2015. This OIC set out that for F2017, F2018 and F2019, the Commission must not set rates for BC Hydro for the purpose of changing the revenue-cost ratio for a class of customers. The Commission wishes to hear: (a) if this F2016 COS study should be subject to Commission approval, endorsement, or to be limited in its use as a contextual document for rate design; and (b) if there should be a full review whether it should be undertaken as a NSP.

2.       BC Hydro’s proposed accelerated process for Large General Service customers and Medium General Service customers who are without historical baseline to take service at 100 percent Part 1 Pricing.[2] The Commission wishes to hear the need, if any, of a final order, separate from the main final order, for the different treatment of accounts who do not have historical baselines, including: (a) an accelerated process to make the proposed 100 percent Part 1 pricing effective January 1, 2016; (b) that it be reviewed by way of a written hearing; and (c) BC Hydro’s proposed timetable.

3.       BC Hydro’s proposed expedited processes for (i) freshet rate pilot for Transmission Services, requesting approval by February 1, 2016; (ii) Pricing Principles for Rate Schedule 1823; and (iii) other existing Transmission Service rates.[3] The Commission wishes to hear the need for an order for the freshet rate pilot by no later than February 1, 2016, as well as the Streamlined Review Processes (SRP) and timetable proposed for the above three matters.

4.       BC Hydro’s proposed expedited process for Minimum Reconnection Charges in the electric tariff terms and conditions, requesting approval for implementation April 1, 2016.[4] The Commission wishes to hear the positions from parties on the SRP expedited process and timetable proposed by BC Hydro.

5.       Finally, any other relevant matters that parties wish to bring to the attention of the Panel before the procedural conference.

 

 

 

 

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

2015 Rate Design Application

On September 24, 2015, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed its 2015 Rate Design Application (RDA) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission). The 2015 RDA is composed of a cost of service study and BC Hydro’s proposals regarding the default rate structures for serving all seven customer classes: residential, small general service, medium general service, large general service, irrigation, street lighting, and transmission.

The 2015 RDA also includes proposed changes to standard charges in the electric tariff terms and conditions, including consideration of non-integrated areas rate design, optional rates, transmission extension policy, and distribution extension policy.

How to Get Involved

Persons wishing to actively participate in the proceeding must register as an intervener through the Commission’s website at www.bcuc.com or in writing by October 14, 2015. Registrants must identify the issues they intend to pursue and indicate the extent of their anticipated involvement in the review process. Interveners will each receive a copy of all non-confidential correspondence and filed documentation, and must provide an email address if available. 

Persons not expecting to actively participate, but who have an interest in the proceeding, should register as an interested party through the Commission’s website or in writing, also by October 14, 2015, identifying their interest in the proceeding. Interested parties should review documents filed for this proceeding on the Commission’s web site, under Current Applications: http://www.bcuc.com  A copy of the decision will be emailed to all registered participants when it is released.

Letters of comment may also be submitted. All submissions and/or correspondence received relating to the Application are provided to the panel and all participants in the proceeding. Submissions are placed on the public record and posted to the Commission’s website. By participating and/or providing comment on the Application, you agree that all submissions will be placed on the public record and posted on the Commission’s website. 

If you wish to attend the Procedural Conference please register with the Commission Secretary using the contact information provided at the end of this notice.

View the Application

The Application and all supporting documentation are available on the Commission’s website on the “Current Applications” page. If you would like to review the material in hard copy, it is available to be viewed at the locations below:

For More Information or to Register

For more information or to register please contact Ms. Erica Hamilton, Commission Secretary using the contact information above.