Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-178-17

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

FortisBC Energy Inc.

Application for Approval of Tariff Supplement No. K-1

Biomethane Long Term Large Volume Interruptible Sales Agreement between

the University of British Columbia and FortisBC Energy Inc.

BEFORE:

H. G. Harowitz, Commissioner/Panel Chair

B. A. Magnan, Commissioner

W. M. Everett, QC, Commissioner

on December 4, 2017

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On September 14, 2017, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission), pursuant to sections 59 to 61 and 89 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), for interim and permanent approval and endorsement of Rate Schedule 11B Tariff Supplement No. K-1, a Biomethane Long Term Large Volume Interruptible Sales Agreement between FEI and the University of British Columbia (Tariff Supplement No. K-1), effective October 1, 2017 (Application), filed as Appendix A of the Application;

B.      By Order G-133-16 and the accompanying Reasons for Decision regarding the FEI Application for Approval of Biomethane Energy Recovery Charge (BERC) Rate Methodology (BERC Methodology Decision) dated August 12, 2016, the Commission approved the following:

                    i.            a premium of $7 per gigajoule (GJ) above the Conventional Gas Cost (defined as the sum of the Commodity Cost Recovery Charge, the carbon tax and any other taxes applicable to conventional natural gas sales) as the Short Term BERC Rate;

                  ii.            the Long Term BERC Rate set at the greater of $10 per GJ, and a $1 per GJ discount to the Short Term BERC Rate, subject to certain conditions set out in Directive 2 of Order G-133-16;

C.      The BERC Methodology Decision also stipulated that approval of the specific terms will be on a contract-by-contract basis as FEI executes each contract and files it as a tariff supplement for approval as a rate as required under sections 59 to 61 of the UCA;

D.      By Order G-154-17 dated October 5, 2017, the Commission established a regulatory timetable for the review of the Application, which sets out one round of Information Request (IR) and further process to be determined;

E.       The British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. and the BC Sustainable Energy Association and Sierra Club BC registered as interveners;

F.       On November 21, 2017, FEI filed responses to  Commission and interveners IR No. 1;

G.      The Commission considers that establishing the remaining process for the regulatory timetable is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders that the remaining process of the regulatory timetable as follows:

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this          4^th       day of December 2017.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

H. G. Harowitz

Commissioner