Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-13-18

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

Nelson Hydro

2018 Rate Application

BEFORE:

A. K. Fung, QC, Panel Chair/Commissioner

on January 17, 2018

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On December 8, 2017, Nelson Hydro filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) for approval of a general rate increase of 2.25 percent, effective April 1, 2018 (Application). The requested rate change is effectively a 1.56 percent rate increase to customers for the 2018 calendar year;

B.      Nelson Hydro is owned and operated by the City of Nelson and is exempt from regulation under the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) to the extent it is serving customers within its municipal boundaries. Accordingly, while the requested rate increase will be applied uniformly to all ratepayers receiving service both inside and outside the City of Nelson’s municipal boundaries, the Commission’s review of the Application pertains solely to Nelson Hydro’s non-municipal, or rural, ratepayers; and

C.      The Commission has commenced review of the Application and considers that establishment of a regulatory timetable is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to sections 59–61 and 89 of the Utilities Commission Act, the Commission orders as follows:

1.       Nelson Hydro’s applied for rate increase of 2.25 percent is approved on an interim and refundable basis, effective April 1, 2018.

2.       Nelson Hydro is directed to provide the Commission with final certified copies of the amended interim rate schedules within 10 business days of enactment by the City of Nelson’s municipal council.

3.       Any variance between the interim and permanent rates as determined by the Commission following final disposition of the Application is subject to refund/recovery, with interest at the average prime rate of Nelson Hydro’s principal bank for its most recent year.

4.       The Regulatory Timetable for the review of the Application is established, as set out in Appendix A to this order.

5.       Nelson Hydro is directed to provide notice of the Application and this order to all non-municipal ratepayers as soon as reasonably possible and to post a copy of this order on the City of Nelson website. Nelson Hydro is also directed to publish as soon as reasonably possible the Public Notice attached as Appendix B to this order, in display-ad format, in the appropriate local news publications to provide adequate notice to the public.

6.       Interveners who wish to participate in the regulatory proceeding are to register with the Commission by completing the Request to Intervene form, available on the Commission’s website, by the date established in the 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.

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

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

A. K. Fung, QC

Commissioner

Attachment

Nelson Hydro

2018 Rate Application

On December 8, 2017, Nelson Hydro filed its application requesting approval to increase the electrical rates by 2.25 percent, effective April 1, 2018. The requested rate change is effectively a 1.56 percent rate increase to customers for the 2018 calendar year. While the requested rate increase will be applied uniformly to all ratepayers receiving service both inside and outside the City of Nelson’s municipal boundaries, the Commission’s review of the Application pertains solely to Nelson Hydro’s non-municipal, or rural, ratepayers.