Orders

ORDER NUMBER

F-10-18

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

FortisBC Inc.

Annual Review for 2018 Rates

BEFORE:

B. A. Magnan, Panel Chair/Commissioner

M. Kresivo, QC, Commissioner

W. M. Everett, QC, Commissioner

on March 1, 2018

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      By Order G-116-17 dated July 27, 2017, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) established a regulatory timetable for the annual review of FortisBC Inc.’s (FBC) 2018 rates, which included the anticipated date for FBC to file its annual review materials, intervener registration, one round of information requests, a workshop, FBC’s response to workshop undertakings, and written final and reply arguments;

B.      On August 10, 2017, FBC filed its Annual Review of 2018 Rates Application (Application) seeking approval of, among other things, permanent rates effective January 1, 2018, resulting in a general increase of 0.11 percent compared to 2017 rates, to be applied to all components of rates for all customer classes. The Application was made pursuant to sections 59 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA);

C.      On October 3, 2017, FBC submitted an evidentiary update revising its Application to seek permanent rates effective January 1, 2018 resulting in a general increase of 0.17 percent compared to 2017 rates for all customer classes (Evidentiary Update);

D.      By Order G-38-18 dated February 13, 2018, the Commission made several final orders regarding the Application, including the order that FBC’s current rates, which were approved as interim by Order G-172-17, will remain interim and refundable/recoverable, until the completion of the 2018 DSM Expenditure Application proceeding. FBC was directed to file a compliance filing within 15 days of the issuance of the Commission Decision in the 2018 DSM Expenditure Application proceeding and the 2018 rates will become permanent following the approval of the compliance filing;

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

F.       By letter dated February 20, 2018, FBC provided its comments on the PACA applications, stating that if the Commission is satisfied that the participants have met the eligibility requirements, that the funding days claimed are appropriate, and that the level of participation has met with the Commission’s criteria and requirements, then FBC has no further comment. FBC also makes note of two typographical errors in the ICG PACA application but states that it has no objections to the application; and

G.      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 interveners in the listed amounts for their participation in the FBC Annual Review of 2018 Rates proceeding:

2.       FBC 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                    1^st             day of March 2018.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

B. A. Magnan

Commissioner