Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

Applications for Participant Assistance/Cost Awards

in the Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. – Dawson Creek Division
Application for Approval of AltaGas Ltd. Industrial Firm Transportation Service Agreement
and Proposed RS 7 Industrial LNG Firm Transportation Service Tariff

BEFORE:               H. G. Harowitz, Commissioner                                    October 2, 2015

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.      By Order G-72-07 dated July 5, 2007, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) approved Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) Guidelines, included as Appendix A to the order. Pursuant to the PACA Guidelines, an application for a cost award must be made by filing a written application with the Commission within thirty days following the last day of a proceeding;

B.      On June 16, 2015, Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. [PNG(N.E.)] filed with the Commission an application for approval of an Industrial Firm Transportation Service Agreement (TSA) between PNG(N.E.) and AltaGas Ltd.(AltaGas), as well as a proposed new Rate Schedule 7 Industrial Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Firm Transportation Service Tariff (RS 7) (together, the Application), with a target in-service date of October 1, 2015;

C.      Pursuant to Order G-117-15 issued on July 13, 2015, the Commission, among other things, established the Regulatory Timetable for review of the Application which provided for one round of information requests (IRs) followed by written final and reply arguments. On July 28, 2015, the Regulatory Timetable was amended by Order G-128-15 to provide for a supplemental round of IRs focused solely on AltaGas’ bypass cost calculation;

D.      On September 24, 2015, the Commission issued Order G-154-15 and accompanying Reasons for Decision;

E.       The Commission received PACA applications from the British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. on September 14, 2015 and from the BC Sustainable Energy Association and the Sierra Club of British Columbia on September 28, 2015;

F.       By emails dated September 14, 2015 and September 30, 2015, PNG(N.E.) provided its comments on the PACA applications, stating that it finds the amounts to be reasonable; and

G.     The Commission has reviewed the PACA applications and comments from PNG(N.E.) with regard to the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines and concluded that PACA funding should be awarded.

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

1.       Participant Assistance/Cost Awards in the following amounts with respect to their participation in the Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. [PNG(N.E.)] Application for Approval of an Industrial Firm Transportation Service Agreement between PNG(N.E.) and AltaGas Ltd., and proposed Rate Schedule 7 Industrial LNG Firm Transportation Service Tariff:

2.       PNG(N.E.) is directed to reimburse the above participants for the respective amounts that have been awarded in a timely manner.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this             2nd               day of October 2015.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

                                                                                                                            Original Signed By:

                                                                                                                                H. G. Harowitz

Commissioner