Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. and Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd.

Application for Acceptance of the 2015 Consolidated Energy Management and Efficiency Program Funding Plan

BEFORE:               H. G. Harowitz, Panel Chair/Commissioner

                                B. A. Magnan, Commissioner                                      July 7, 2015

                                I. F. MacPhail, Commissioner

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.      On June 26, 2015, Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. and Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. (collectively, PNG) filed an Application for Acceptance of the 2015 Consolidated Energy Management and Efficiency Program Funding Plan (Application), pursuant to section 44.2 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA);

B.      PNG’s Application also includes the following requests: (i) flexibility in the reallocation of expenditures amongst demand side management (DSM) programs and between program years, subject to the total amount spent by PNG on DSM activities between the date of the Commission’s order accepting the DSM Plan and 2018 not exceeding the $1.240 million sought in the Application, unless otherwise approved by the Commission; and (ii) DSM expenditures to be recorded in a rate base regulatory asset deferral account with an amortization period of 10 years;

C.      PNG provided a copy of the Application to the Peace River Regional District, FortisBC Energy Inc., British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al., BC Sustainable Energy Association and the Sierra Club
of BC, and The District of Tumbler Ridge. These parties were the interveners in: (i) the PNG-West 2014 Resource Plan for the PNG-West Pipeline System and PNG (N.E.) Resubmission of the DSM Part of the 2012 Resource Plan and Load Forecast Update for the PNG (N.E.) Pipeline System proceeding and (ii) the Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. 2015 Resource Plan for the Fort St. John/Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge distribution systems proceeding; and

D.      The Commission has determined that a written hearing process for the review of the Application is warranted and considers that a regulatory timetable should be established.

NOW THEREFORE the British Columbia Utilities Commission orders as follows:

1.       A written hearing process is established for the review of the Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. and Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. (collectively, PNG) Application for Acceptance of the 2015 Consolidated Energy Management and Efficiency Program Funding Plan (Application) in accordance with the Regulatory Timetable attached as Appendix A to this order.

2.       PNG shall provide a copy of the Application and this order by no later than Friday, July 10, 2015 to British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al., BC Sustainable Energy Association and the Sierra Club
of BC; FortisBC Energy Inc.; City of Fort St. John; City of Dawson Creek; The District of Tumbler Ridge; Peace River Regional District; City of Prince Rupert; City of Terrace; District Municipality of Kitimat; District of Houston; Town of Smithers; Village of Burns Lake; District of Vanderhoof and the District of Fort St. James. This list includes past interveners and municipalities where PNG operates.

3.       Interveners or interested parties who wish to participate in the PNG Application proceeding should register with the Commission, in writing or electronic submission, by Friday, July 24, 2015. Interveners should specifically state the nature of their interest in the Application, and identify generally the nature of the issues that they intend to pursue during the proceeding and the nature and extent of their anticipated involvement in the review process.

4.       Interveners intending to apply for Participant Assistance must submit a budget estimate by Monday,
July 27, 2015, consistent with the Commission’s Participant Assistance/Cost Award Guidelines and Order
G-72‐07. Copies of the Guidelines are available upon request or can be downloaded from the Commission’s website at: http://www.bcuc.com/Documents/Guidelines/2010/DOC_5014_G‐72‐07_PACA_2007_Guidelines.pdf.

5.       Interveners that will file Intervener Evidence must provide notice of this to the Commission, in writing or electronic submission, by Wednesday, August 12, 2015. In the event notice of a commitment to file Intervener Evidence is received, the Commission will issue a revised Regulatory Timetable.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                7^th                day of July 2015.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

Original signed by:

H. G. Harowitz

                                                                                                                                Panel Chair/Commissioner

Attachment

Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. and Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd.

Application for Acceptance of the 2015 Consolidated Energy Management and Efficiency Program Funding Plan

REGULATORY TIMETABLE