IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, 1996, Chapter 473
and
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
Request for Extension for Providing
Mandatory Reliability Standards Assessment Report No. 9
BEFORE: L. F. Kelsey, Commissioner
C. A. Brown, Commissioner October 29, 2015
K. A. Keilty, Commissioner
D. M. Morton, Commissioner
O R D E R
WHEREAS:
A. Pursuant to section 125.2(2) of the Utilities Commission Act (the Act) the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) has exclusive jurisdiction to determine whether a “reliability standard,” as defined in the Act, is in the public interest and should be adopted in British Columbia;
B. In order to facilitate the Commission’s consideration of reliability standards, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) is required under section 125.2(3) of the Act to review each reliability standard and provide the Commission with a report assessing:
(a) any adverse impact of the reliability standard on the reliability of electricity transmission in British Columbia if the reliability standard were adopted;
(b) the suitability of the reliability standard for British Columbia;
(c) the potential cost of the reliability standard if it were adopted; and
(d) any other matter prescribed by regulation or identified by order of the Commission;
C. Further, subsection 3(1)(a) of the Mandatory Reliability Standards Regulation, BC Regulation 32/2009, (MRS Regulation) requires BC Hydro to report on a reliability standard, in accordance with section 125.2 (3) of the Act, within one year of the date the reliability standard is adopted by the regulatory body with jurisdiction over the standard-making body that established the reliability standard, which is the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC);
D. Pursuant to subsection (1) of the MRS Regulation, upon application by BC Hydro, the Commission may extend the time by which BC Hydro must provide such a report;
E. BC Hydro’s approach for assessing standards, both new and revised, has been to consolidate and assess reliability standards adopted by FERC within BC Hydro’s annual assessment period. As a result, certain reliability standards included in Assessment Report No. 9 Assessment Period (December 1, 2014 to November 30, 2015) will have been adopted by FERC more than one year prior to the filing date of Assessment Report No. 9;
F. In a letter dated October 19, 2015 (Extension Request), BC Hydro requested an extension under section 3(2) of the MRS Regulation to ensure compliance with the MRS Regulation while following the current MRS assessment process. BC Hydro anticipates that Assessment Report No. 9 will be filed in the second quarter of the 2016 calendar year; and
G. The Commission considered BC Hydro’s Extension Request and considers an extension is warranted.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 3(2) of the Mandatory Reliability Standards Regulation, BC Regulation 32/2009, and section 125.2(4) of the Utilities Commission Act, the British Columbia Utilities Commission orders as follows:
1. The Commission approves British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority’s Extension Request to provide a report to the Commission on the reliability standards adopted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission between December 1, 2014 and November 30, 2015.
2. British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority must file Mandatory Reliability Standards Assessment Report No. 9 with the Commission by May 1, 2016.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 29th day of October 2015.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
D. M. Morton
Commissioner