ORDER NUMBER
R-43-16
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
Catalyst Paper Powell River Division
Application to Change Registration required for compliance with Mandatory Reliability Standards
BEFORE:
D. M. Morton, Commissioner
W. M. Everett, Commissioner
H. G. Harowitz, Commissioner
M. Kresivo, Commissioner
R. I. Mason, Commissioner
on December 22, 2016
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On December 16, 2016, the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) issued a Recommendation for Deregistration of Catalyst Paper Powell River (CP Powell River) for the functions of Transmission Owner (TO), Transmission Operator (TOP) and Load Serving Entity (LSE) (Recommendation) with the British Columbia Mandatory Reliability Standards Program (BC MRS Program);
B. Section 125.2 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) assigns exclusive jurisdiction to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) to determine whether a “reliability standard,” as defined in the UCA, is in the public interest and should be adopted in British Columbia;
C. The Mandatory Reliability Standards Regulation (MRS Regulation), Ministerial Order M039, deposited February 23, 2009, described the parties subject to reliability standards adopted under section 125.2(6) of the UCA and, on June 4, 2009, the Commission issued Order G-67-09 specifying that entities subject to reliability standards must register with the Commission;
D. In accordance with the Administration Agreement between WECC and the Commission, dated September 8, 2009 and renewed August 21, 2014, WECC makes registration recommendations in its role as Administrator for the BC MRS Program;
E. By Order G-140-10, the Commission approved the registration CP Powell River for the functions of TO, TOP, LSE and Distribution Provider (DP) with the BC MRS Program;
F. By Commission Order R-38-15, dated July 24, 2015, the Commission adopted the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) definition of the Bulk Electric System (BES) with its inclusions and exclusions, aligning with the applicability of standards section of the MRS Regulation;
G. On November 17, 2015, the UCA was amended to repeal sections 125.2(8) and 125.2(9) concerning the applicability of reliability standards and include updated sections 125.2(8) and 125.2(9), pursuant to which, the Commission may, by order, specify that a reliability standard adopted under the UCA applies or does not apply to a specified person, a class of persons or a person in respect of specified equipment;
H. In consideration of the Commission’s adoption of the BES Definition, CP Powell River requested WECC to consider deactivation of its registered functions;
I. Following a review of the CP Powell River facilities, WECC issued the Recommendation noting that deregistering CP Powell River for the TO, TOP and LSE functions would be consistent with entity registration practice in the United States. WECC reserved recommendation on the DP function at this time;
J. On December 20, 2016, CP Powell River informed the Commission that it was in agreement with the Recommendation; and
K. The Commission reviewed the Recommendation and considers deregistration of CP Powell River for the TO, TOP and LSE functions is warranted.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 125.2(10) of the Utilities Commission Act and in accordance with the Registration Manual that is Appendix 1 to the Rules of Procedure for Reliability Standards in British Columbia, the British Columbia Utilities Commission approves the deregistration of Catalyst Paper Powell River Division for the functions of Transmission Owner, Transmission Operator and Load Serving Entity with the British Columbia Mandatory Reliability Standards Program.
Mandatory Reliability Standards pertaining to these functions and adopted by the Commission pursuant to section 125.2 of the Utilities Commission Act no longer apply to Catalyst Paper Powell River Division and Catalyst Paper Powell River Division is no longer required to submit compliance filings for the Reliability Standards applicable to those functions.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 22nd day of December 2016.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
D. M. Morton
Commissioner