ORDER NUMBER
C-4-16
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
Shannon Wall Centre Rental Apartments Limited Partnership
Shannon Estates Thermal Energy Systems Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity Application
BEFORE:
D. M. Morton, Commissioner
D. J. Enns, Commissioner
H. G. Harowitz, Commissioner
R. I. Mason, Commissioner
R. D. Revel, Commissioner
on April 21, 2016
CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY
WHEREAS:
A. On February 5, 2016, pursuant to the Thermal Energy System (TES) Regulatory Framework Guidelines (TES Guidelines) under Stream B, Shannon Wall Centre Rental Apartments Limited Partnership (SWCRA) filed the Shannon Estates TES Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) Application (Application) to own and operate the TES plant at the rental property known as Shannon Mews & Apartments;
B. On March 2, 2015, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) issued Order G-27-15 approving the TES Guidelines;
C. On September 10, 2015, SWCRA filed an application pursuant to the TES Guidelines under Stream A for the Shannon Estates Development TES located at 7199 Granville Street, Vancouver;
D. On September 24, 2015, via letter L-39-15, the Commission determined that the Shannon Estates Development TES did not meet the criteria as an On-Site TES as defined in the TES Guidelines due to there being multiple municipal building permits and therefore multiple sites with shared infrastructure between the sites. The application for Stream A exemption status was therefore denied;
E. SWCRA is now requesting approval under section 45 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) for a CPCN, and submits that section 44.1 of UCA, pertaining to long term resource and conservation planning, is not applicable with respect to the nature of the service provided by the proposed utility;
F. SWCRA intends to file a subsequent application for approval under sections 59-61 of the UCA for the rates;
G. SWCRA estimates the total capital cost to be $7,508,234 for the two phases of the project;
H. On March 4, 2016, by Order G-28-16, the Commission issued a preliminary Regulatory Timetable including one round of information requests; and
I. The Commission reviewed the Application and SWCRA’s responses to Commission information requests in this proceeding and finds that CPCN approval is necessary and in the public interest.
NOW THEREFORE the British Columbia Utilities Commission orders as follows:
1. Pursuant to sections 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act, a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity is granted to Shannon Wall Centre Rental Apartments Limited Partnership to own and operate the Shannon Estates Thermal Energy System.
2. Pursuant to section 44.1 (3) of the Utilities Commission Act, Shannon Wall Centre Rental Apartments Limited Partnership is exempt from section 44.1 pertaining to long term resource and conservation planning for the Shannon Estates Thermal Energy System.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 21st day of April 2016.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
D. M. Morton
Commissioner