Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-41-18

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Transmission Service Freshet Rate Pilot

Application for Year 3 Extension

BEFORE:

D. M. Morton, Commissioner

on February 15, 2018

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      As part of the 2015 Rate Design Application (RDA) filed on September 24, 2015, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) sought approval for a new optional rate schedule (RS) 1892 – Transmission Service - Freshet Energy, which provides participating customers market pricing for incremental consumption during the freshet period (May 1 to July 31 inclusive) on a pilot basis ending December 31, 2017 (the Freshet Rate Pilot). RS 1892 was approved by Commission Order No. G-17-16. BC Hydro was also ordered to file three evaluation reports of the Freshet Rate Pilot: two preliminary reports and one final report;

B.      In compliance with Commission Order No. G-17-16, BC Hydro filed its preliminary evaluation report for year one on December 8, 2016 (Appendix D to the report was filed on January 27, 2017);

C.      On December 8, 2017, BC Hydro filed its preliminary evaluation report for year two in compliance with Commission Order No. G-17-16;

D.      On December 8, 2017, BC Hydro, along with the submission of its preliminary evaluation report for year two, applied for approval, pursuant to sections 58 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act, for extension of the termination date of RS 1892 - Transmission Service - Freshet Energy to include a third year so that the rate schedule would now expire on December 31, 2018 (Application);

E.       In the Application, BC Hydro also proposed to extend the timeline for filing the final Freshet Rate Pilot evaluation report from spring 2018, as outlined in the 2015 RDA, to fall 2018;

F.       The timeline for consideration of the Application is compressed to allow time for signup to a 2018 Freshet Rate Pilot if it is approved; and

G.      The Commission has considered the application and concludes that a compressed regulatory timetable to review the application should be established.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission, pursuant to sections 58 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act, orders as follows:

1.       The regulatory timetable for the review of the Application is established, as set out in Appendix A of this order.

2.       RS 1892 - Transmission Service – Freshet, is extended, on a temporary basis, until such time that the Commission has conducted this proceeding on the Application and issues a final Order on this matter.

3.       Evaluation of the year one and year two Freshet Rate Pilot evaluation reports, is outside of the scope of this proceeding and will occur in a future proceeding when the Commission considers whether to establish a permanent Freshet Rate tariff.

4.       BC Hydro is directed to send copies of the Application and this order immediately following issuance to all parties who made submissions regarding RS 1892 as part of the 2015 Rate Design Application.

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

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

D. M. Morton

Commissioner

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Transmission Service Freshet Rate Pilot

Application for Year 3 Extension