Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-81-17

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

Stargas Utilities Ltd.

Application for Reconsideration and Variance of Order G-59-17

BEFORE:

R. I. Mason, Panel Chair/Commissioner

D. M. Morton, Commissioner

on May 24, 2016

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On May 15, 2017, Stargas Utilities Ltd. (Stargas) filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) an application for a reconsideration and variance of Order G 59-17, Directive 11, the refund of $6,000 to Stargas’ current customers related to fiscal 2015 and 2016 preferred share dividend overpayments (Reconsideration Application);

B.      On December 16, 2016, following a streamlined review process, the Commission issued Order G-192-16 approving the Replacement Term Financing/Redemption of Preferred Shares portion of Stargas’ September 26, 2016 Application to Vary Delivery Rate, Amend Cost of Service Formula and Approve Replacement Term Financing/Redemption of Preferred Shares (Delivery Rate Application);

C.      On April 27, 2017, after a written hearing process, the Commission did not approve the applied-for delivery rate and cost of service formula portion of Stargas’ Delivery Rate Application. By Order G-59-17, the Commission established permanent delivery rates for all customers effective November 1, 2016, as modified by the directives in the order;

D.      The Commission has Reconsideration Criteria guidelines that set out a two-phase process for a reconsideration request to the Commission. In the first phase, the applicant must establish a prima facie case that the Commission should proceed with a reconsideration. If the Commission finds that a sufficient prima facie case has been made, the reconsideration proceeds to the second phase (Phase 2), where the Commission hears arguments on the merits of the application; and

E.       The Panel has considered the Reconsideration Application and determines that a prima facie case has been made and that the application should proceed to Phase 2 of reconsideration directly.

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 99 of the Utilities Commission Act, the British Columbia Utilities Commission orders as follows:

1.       The application for reconsideration and variance of Order G-59-17 as filed by Stargas Utilities Ltd. (Reconsideration Application) shall proceed to Phase 2 as a written argument process as set out in the Regulatory Timetable attached as Appendix A to this order.

2.       The Reconsideration Application shall serve as the Stargas Utilities Ltd. submission upon which interveners may provide comment.

3.       The scope of the reconsideration is restricted to the issue raised in the Reconsideration Application.

4.       The evidence and submissions filed in Stargas Utilities Ltd.’s Delivery Rate Application shall be included as part of the evidentiary record for the purposes of the reconsideration.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this        24^th         day of May 2017.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

R. I. Mason

Commissioner

Attachment

Stargas Utilities Ltd.

Reconsideration and Variance of Order G-59-17 – Phase 2

REGULATORY TIMETABLE