Orders

ORDER NUMBER

F-3-18

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

E-Plus Homeowners Group

Application for Reconsideration and Variance of Order G-5-17

in the matter of the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority 2015 Rate Design Application

Application for Participant Assistance/Cost Awards

BEFORE:

D. M. Morton, Panel Chair/Commissioner

D. A. Cote, Commissioner

K. A. Keilty, Commissioner

on January 15, 2018

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On February 19, 2017, the E-Plus Homeowners Group (EPHG) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) for reconsideration and variance of parts of Directive 2 of Order G-5-17 dealing with the residential E-Plus rate, pursuant to section 99 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) (Reconsideration Application);

B.      By letter dated February 24, 2017, the Commission established phase one of the reconsideration process for EPHG’s Reconsideration Application and invited submissions from the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) and all registered interveners in the BC Hydro 2015 Rate Design Application proceeding that address specific questions on whether the threshold for reconsideration has been met;

C.      Established by Orders G-55-17 and G-69-17, the regulatory process for phase two of the reconsideration included intervener registration, EPHG evidence, BC Hydro evidence, information requests and responses from both EPHG and BC Hydro and written arguments;

D.      BC Hydro and BC Sustainable Energy Association and Sierra Club BC (BCSEA) registered as interveners in phase two of the reconsideration process;

E.       On December 19, 2017, by Order G-197-17 with reasons for decision, the Commission varied Directive 2 of Order G-5-17;

F.       The following participants filed Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) applications with the Commission with respect to their participation in the proceeding:

G.      By letter dated January 9, 2018, BC Hydro provided its comments on the PACA applications, stating that the applications appear to be consistent with Order G-97-17, the PACA Guidelines, and with the Commission’s direction in Order F-11-17, in which BC Hydro was directed to provide participant funding for a proceeding where it was not the applicant. BC Hydro leaves it at the discretion of the Commission as to the level of cost awards to be made; and

H.      The Commission has reviewed the PACA applications in accordance with the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines, attached to Commission Order G-97-17, and concludes that the cost awards should be approved.

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 118(1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the Commission orders as follows:

1.       Funding is awarded to the following participants in the listed amounts for their participation in EPHG Reconsideration Application proceeding:

2.       BC Hydro is directed to reimburse the above-noted participants for the awarded amount in a timely manner.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                  15^th          day of January 2018.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

D. M. Morton

Commissioner