ORDER NUMBER
R-45-17
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
Request
for Extension for Filing
Mandatory Reliability Standards Assessment Report No. 11
BEFORE:
W. M. Everett, QC, Commissioner
on November 2, 2017
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On October 19, 2017 and in compliance with section 3 of the Mandatory Reliability Standards Regulation, BC Regulation 32/2009 (MRS Regulation), the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) submitted an extension request to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) for filing Assessment Report No. 11;
B. Pursuant to section 125.2(2) of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), the Commission has exclusive jurisdiction to determine whether a “reliability standard,” as defined in the UCA, is in the public interest and should be adopted in BC;
C. In order to facilitate the Commission’s consideration of reliability standards, BC Hydro is required under section 125.2(3) of the UCA to review each reliability standard established by a standard-making body, such as the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council, and provide the Commission with a report (MRS Assessment Report) assessing:
(a) any adverse impact of the reliability standard on the reliability of electricity transmission in BC if the reliability standard were adopted;
(b) the suitability of the reliability standard for BC;
(c) the potential cost of the reliability standard if it were adopted;
(c.1) the application of the reliability standard to persons or persons in respect of specified equipment if the reliability standard were adopted; and
(d) any other matter prescribed by regulation or identified by order of the Commission;
D. Subsection 3(1)(a) of the MRS Regulation requires BC Hydro to report on a reliability standard, in accordance with section 125.2(3) of the UCA, within one year of the date the reliability standard is adopted by the regulatory body with jurisdiction over the standard-making body that established the reliability standard. This regulatory body is the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC);
E. Pursuant to subsection 3(2) of the MRS Regulation, upon application by BC Hydro, the Commission may extend the time by which BC Hydro must provide such a report;
F. BC Hydro’s approach for assessing standards, both new and revised, has been to consolidate and assess reliability standards adopted by FERC within BC Hydro’s annual assessment period. As a result, certain reliability standards included in the Assessment Report No. 11 Assessment Period (December 1, 2016 to November 30, 2017) will have been adopted by FERC more than one year prior to the filing date of Assessment Report No. 11; and
G. The Commission has reviewed BC Hydro’s extension request and considers an extension to May 1, 2018 is warranted.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 3(2) of the Mandatory Reliability Standards Regulation, BC Regulation 32/2009, and section 125.2(4) of the Utilities Commission Act, the British Columbia Utilities Commission orders as follows:
1. The Commission approves British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority’s extension request to provide a report to the Commission on the reliability standards adopted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission between December 1, 2016 and November 30, 2017.
2. British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority must file Mandatory Reliability Standards Assessment Report No. 11 with the Commission by May 1, 2018.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 2nd day of November 2017.
BY ORDER
Original Signed By:
W. M. Everett, QC
Commissioner