Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

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

and

Applications for Participant Assistance/Cost Awards

in the FortisBC Energy Inc., FortisBC Energy (Vancouver Island) Inc. and FortisBC Energy (Whistler) Inc.

Application for Removal of the Restriction on the Location of Data and Servers

Providing Service to the FEU currently Restricted to Canada

BEFORE:               L. A. O’Hara, Panel Chair/Commissioner

                                N. E. MacMurchy, Commissioner                                              November 6, 2015

                                K. A. Keilty, Commissioner

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.      On August 1, 2014, the FortisBC Energy Utilities (FEU) applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) for removal of the restriction on the location of data and servers providing service to the FEU, currently restricted to Canada (Application);

B.      By Orders G-126-14, G-150-14, G-184-14 and G-26-15, and letter dated June 15, 2015, the Commission established the public hearing process and the regulatory timetable for the Application;

C.      While FEU were the original applicant in this proceeding, the companies that comprised FEU were amalgamated on December 31, 2014, and the amalgamated entity carries on business under the name FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI);

D.      On October 13, 2015, by Order G-161-15 with Decision issued concurrently, the Commission approved FEI’s updated proposal sought in the Application subject to certain conditions;

E.       The following participants filed Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) applications with the Commission with respect to their participation in the Application:

F.       By letter dated October 27, 2015, FEI stated that it had reviewed the PACA applications and, so long as the Commission has no concerns, FEI had no comment;

G.     On October 27, 2015, the British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. submitted a revised PACA application to exclude a tax portion recoverable by the participant as per section 4(g) of the PACA Guidelines and requests a PACA award of $16,314.29;

H.      The Commission reviewed the PACA applications and the FEI submission with regard to the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines and conclude that PACA funding should be awarded.

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 118(1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the British Columbia Utilities Commission approves:

1.       Participant Assistance Cost Awards in the following amounts with respect to their participation in the FortisBC Energy Utilities (FEU) Application for Removal of the Restriction on the Location of Data and Servers Providing Service to the FEU, currently Restricted to Canada:

2.         FortisBC Energy Inc. is directed to reimburse the above-noted participants for the awarded amounts in a timely manner.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this            6^th            day of November 2015.

                                                                                                                              BY ORDER

                                                                                                                              Original signed by:

                                                                                                                              L. A. O’Hara

                                                                                                                              Panel Chair and Commissioner