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                                            October 14, 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 (Application);

B.      On September 30, 2015, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) established a regulatory timetable for the preliminary review of the Application, attached as Appendix A to Order G-156-15. The timetable provided for written submissions by Wednesday, October 14, 2015 on a number of items outlined by the Commission in Appendix B to that order.

C.      The Commission has received a number of requests from participants seeking an extension to the submission process; and

D.      The Commission considers it appropriate to allow a reasonable extension to the submission and subsequent reply on the matters raised in Appendix B to Order G-156-15, included again with this order.

NOW THEREFORE the British Columbia Utilities Commission orders as follows:

1.       The regulatory timetable established as Appendix A to Order G-156-15 is amended as follows:

2.       All other dates in the regulatory timetable established in Appendix A to Order G-156-15 remain unchanged.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this          14^th               day of October 2015.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

                                                                                                                                Original signed by:

                                                                                                                K. A. Keilty

                                                                                                                                Commissioner

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.