Orders

Decision Information

Decision Content

ORDER NUMBER

G-11-18

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd.

Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity

to Acquire and Operate the North Pine Fuel Gas Pipeline

 

BEFORE:

W. M. Everett, QC, Panel Chair/Commissioner

B. A. Magnan, Commissioner

H. G. Harowitz, Commissioner

 

on January 17, 2018

 

ORDER

 

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On December 4, 2017 Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. (PNG[NE]) submitted an application to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) seeking approval for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), pursuant to section 45 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), to acquire ownership of and to operate a new 5.3 kilometer fuel gas pipeline (Fuel Gas Pipeline) to provide service to the AltaGas Northwest Processing Limited Partnership (AltaGas NPLP) at its North Pine Facility (Application);

B.      PNG(NE) is seeking approval for the capital expenditures not to exceed $1.8 million for the acquisition and operation of the Fuel Gas Pipeline;

C.      The Fuel Gas Pipeline will be a new fuel gas pipeline providing transport services for natural gas to the AltaGas NPLP North Pine Facility. Based on a lower cost forecast and significant qualitative considerations around permitting, consultation, routing and work scheduling requirements, the construction of the Fuel Gas Pipeline will be carried out by AltaGas NPLP;

D.      Fuel gas requirements for phase one of the North Pine Facility have been estimated to be 280,000 GJ per year. Fuel requirements are expected to double to 560,000 GJ per year with the completion of phase two of this project;

E.       PNG(NE) has entered into a transportation services agreement (TSA) with AltaGas NPLP for an initial period of 20 years. Under the TSA PNG(NE) will provide service to AltaGas NPLP at the Small Industrial Service Rate (RS10) applicable to the Fort St. John/Dawson Creek service area for a firm volume of 280,000 GJ per year, with a minimum monthly take-or-pay commitment based on the equivalent to 240,000 GJ per year;

F.       PNG(NE) requests an expedited review process as service to AltaGas NPLP was planned to commence in early December 2017; and

G.      The Commission has determined that a written hearing is necessary for the review of the Application.

 

NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows:

 

1.       A written hearing process is established for the review of the Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) to acquire ownership of and to operate a new Fuel Gas Pipeline as set out in the Regulatory Timetable attached as Appendix A to this order.

2.       Interveners and interested parties who wish to participate in the regulatory proceeding are to register with the Commission by completing a Request to Intervene Form, available on the Commission’s website, by the date established in the preliminary Regulatory Timetable attached as Appendix A to this order. Those requesting intervener status are to specifically state the nature of their interest in the Application and identify generally the issues that they intend to pursue and the extent of their anticipated involvement in the proceeding.

3.       Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. is to provide a copy, electronically where possible, of this order and accompanying appendices to all parties who registered as interveners in the Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. 2016–2017 Revenue Requirements Application proceeding.

4.       The Application and supporting materials are to be made available for inspection at the following locations: Public libraries in Fort St. John, Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge; the head office of Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. at Suite 2550, 1066 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, V6E 3X2; and the British Columbia Utilities Commission office at Suite 410, 900 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2N3 including its website www.bcuc.com. Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. is to also make the Application available on its website: www.png.ca.

5.       Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. is to publish in display-ad format, as soon as reasonably possible but no later than January 25, 2018, the Notice of Application attached as Appendix B to this order, in such appropriate news publications as may properly provide adequate notice to the public in the affected service area.

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this               17th             day of January 2018.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

W. M. Everett, QC

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment


Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd.

Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity

to Acquire and Operate the North Pine Fuel Gas Pipeline

 

REGULATORY TIMETABLE

 

 

Action

Date (2018)

Intervener and Interested Party Registration

Thursday, February 1

Commission Information Request No. 1

Thursday, February 1

Intervener Information Request No. 1

Friday, February 9

PNG(NE) responses to Information Request No. 1

Friday, February 23

Further Process

To Be Determined


PUBLIC NOTICE

Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. – Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to Acquire and Operate the North Pine Fuel Gas Pipeline

On December 4, 2017 Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd [PNGNE]) submitted an application to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) seeking approval for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity ( CPCN), pursuant to section 45 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), to acquire ownership of and to operate a new 5.3 kilometer fuel gas pipeline (Fuel Gas Pipeline) to provide service to the AltaGas Northwest Processing Limited Partnership (AltaGas NPLP) at its North Pine Facility.

 


HOW TO PARTICIPATE

There are a number of ways to participate in a matter before the Commission:

         Submit a letter of comment

         Register as an interested party

         Request intervener status

 

For more information, or to find the forms for any of the options above, please visit our website or contact us at the information below.

 

http://www.bcuc.com/forms/request-to-intervene.aspx

 

All submissions received, including letters of comment, are placed on the public record, posted on the Commission’s website and provided to the Panel and all participants in the proceeding.

NEXT STEPS

1.       Persons who are directly or sufficiently affected by the Commission’s decision or have relevant information or expertise and that wish to actively participate in the proceeding can request intervener status by submitting a completed Request to Intervene Form by Thursday February 1st 2018

 

 

 

GET MORE INFORMATION

 

All documents filed on the public record are available on the “Current Proceedings” page of the Commission’s website at www.bcuc.com.

 

If you would like to review the material in hard copy, or if you have any other inquiries, please contact Patrick Wruck, Commission Secretary, at the following contact information.

British Columbia Utilities Commission

Suite 410, 900 Howe Street

Vancouver, BC Canada V6Z 2N3

 

E: Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com

 

P: 604.660.4700

 

 You are being directed to the most recent version of the statute which may not be the version considered at the time of the judgment.