ORDER NUMBER
G-158-17
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
Supply Chain Applications Project Application
BEFORE:
D. A. Cote, Panel Chair/Commissioner
M. Kresivo, Q.C., Commissioner
R. I. Mason, Commissioner
on October 19, 2017
WHEREAS:
A. On December 21, 2016, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed, pursuant to section 44.2(1)(b) of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), a Supply Chain Applications Project application and related statement of capital expenditures with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission), requesting acceptance of a portion of the capital expenditures pursuant to section 44.2(3)(a) of the UCA (Application);
B. BC Hydro proposed that the Supply Chain Applications Project be reviewed in a two-phase regulatory process, which in combination will lead to the acceptance of the estimated range of Supply Chain Applications Project capital costs as being in the public interest;
C. By Order G-4-17 dated January 13, 2017, the Commission established a regulatory timetable for the review of the Application, which included one round of information requests and a procedural conference with further process to be determined;
D. The following interveners registered in the proceeding:
• FortisBC Energy Inc. and FortisBC Inc. (collectively FortisBC);
• Commercial Energy Consumers of British Columbia (CEC);
• British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. (BCOAPO);
• ABB Enterprise Software (ABB); and
• Richard Landale;
E. The Procedural Conference was held on March 10, 2017 in Vancouver;
F. By Order G-32-17 dated March 15, 2017, and amended by Order G-53-17 and Order G-78-17 dated April 10, 2017 and May 18, 2017, respectively, the Commission established a regulatory timetable for the remainder of the proceeding, which included a second round of information requests, a process for ABB to submit intervener evidence, an option for BC Hydro to submit rebuttal evidence, and written final and reply submissions. By Order G-32-17, the Commission also accepted that a two-phase regulatory process to review the Supply Chain Applications Project is appropriate;
G. The Commission has reviewed and considered the evidence and submissions and finds that the work required up to the end of the Definition phase of the SCA Project is in the public interest.
NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows:
1. Pursuant to section 44.2(3)(a) of the UCA, capital expenditures ranging from $22.5 million to $29.7 million required to complete work up to the end of the Definition phase of the SCA project are accepted.
2. BC Hydro is directed to file as soon as practicable a Phase Two verification report at the end of the Definition phase of the SCA Project, the form of which is detailed in Section 4.0 of the decision issued with this order.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 19th day of October 2017.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
D. A. Cote
Commissioner