Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-9-16

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Application for Approval of Debt Management Regulatory Account

BEFORE:

D. M. Morton, Commissioner

on January 26, 2016

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On December 16, 2015, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) submitted an application to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) for approval of a Debt Management Regulatory Account (DMRA) to capture mark-to-market gains and losses of financial contracts that hedge future long-term debt (Application);

B.      On January 8, 2016, by way of Order G-2-16, the Commission established a Regulatory Timetable for review of the Application and sought submissions from interveners on their views of the appropriateness of the proposed Streamlined Review Process and their availability;

C.      By way of letter dated January 20, 2016, the Commission revised the Regulatory Timetable, with a proposed streamlined review process (SRP) with oral final submissions scheduled for Wednesday, March 2, 2016;

D.      On January 20, 2016, BC Sustainable Energy Association and the Sierra Club of British Columbia submits it has no objections to an SRP but asks that written final submissions be allowed;

E.       Association of Major Power Customers of BC, by way of letter dated January 20, 2016, submits it does not support an SRP since the subject matter is highly technical, and further submits that a written proceeding, as proposed in the Application, is more appropriate and a written final submission following a single round of information requests is more efficient and less expensive than preparing for and attending an SRP;

F.       By way of letter dated January 20, 2016, British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization, Disability Alliance BC, Council of Senior Citizens’ Organizations of BC, and the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre (BCOAPO) submits that its preference is for a written hearing process and does not see the need for more than a single round of information requests. BCOAPO further submits that it will participate in an SRP if held, however asks that written final submissions be allowed at least two days following the SRP. Additionally, BCOAPO requests that the deadline for information requests be extended by 2 to 3 days following the workshop to allow sufficient time to review the workshop transcript and prepare information requests;

G.     Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia, by way of letter dated January 20, 2016, submits that it supports the Regulatory Timetable as proposed;

H.      The Commission has reviewed written submissions from interveners on the regulatory process and finds that a written hearing process is the most efficient regulatory process for review of this Application; and

I.        The Commission finds that a revision to the Regulatory Timetable is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows:

1.       The Regulatory Timetable for the review of the Application is amended, as set out in Appendix A to this order.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this       26^th           day of January 2016.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

D. M. Morton

Commissioner

Attachment

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Application for Approval of Debt Management Regulatory Account

REGULATORY TIMETABLE