Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-57-16

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

FortisBC Energy Inc.

2015 System Extension Application

BEFORE:

K. A. Keilty, Panel Chair/Commissioner

I. F. MacPhail, Commissioner

D. M. Morton, Commissioner

on May 3, 2016

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On February 22, 2016, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) issued Panel Information Request (IR) No. 1 to FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) to obtain additional information on the Rate Impact Analysis, costs and consumption;

B.      On February 29, 2016, FEI requested clarification on a number of these IRs and a suspension of the Regulatory Timetable. On March 3, 2016, the Commission temporarily suspended the Regulatory Timetable to provide the Panel adequate time to review FEI’s request;

C.      On March 24, 2016, the Commission issued Exhibit A-10 in response to FEI’s request for clarification and the Panel requested FEI to propose a timeline to respond. The Panel also invited FEI and interveners to comment on whether a streamlined review process (SRP) was appropriate to address the issues raised and, if an SRP were to be held, to propose dates;

D.      On April 14, 2016, FEI submitted its responses to the Panel IR No. 1, as adjusted by Exhibit A-10. FEI also submitted that the process to date was sufficient to proceed directly to written argument, unless the Commission had technical questions regarding its responses;

E.       On April 19, 2016, the British Columbia Sustainable Energy Association and Sierra Club of BC, the British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al., and the Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia provided submissions. On April 22, 2016, FEI provided reply; and

F.       The Panel has considered the submissions and, as the Panel does not have technical questions regarding FEI’s responses, considers it appropriate to proceed directly to written final submissions specific to FEI’s responses to Panel IR No. 1.

NOW THEREFORE the British Columbia Utilities Commission orders that the remainder of the Regulatory Timetable proceeds as follows:

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this         3^rd            day of May 2016.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

K. A. Keilty

Commissioner