Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-70-18

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Waneta 2017 Transaction Application

BEFORE:

R. I. Mason

A. K. Fung, QC

on April 5, 2018

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On October 30, 2017, the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) made an application requesting the following orders from the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC):

1.       Pursuant to section 44.2(3) of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), acceptance of the expenditure schedule in regard to the Waneta 2017 Transaction as shown in the filing;

2.       Pursuant to sections 58–61 of the UCA, approval of the Teck Wheeling Agreement and Waneta Interconnection Agreement; and

3.       Pursuant to section 49(a) of the UCA, approval of three adjustments to the Non-Heritage Deferral Account (NHDA) as described in the filing (Application);

B.      On November 24, 2017, pursuant to Order G-169-17, the BCUC determined that a public hearing is necessary for the review of the Application and established a regulatory timetable, including intervener registration, one round of information requests and further process to be determined;

C.      By Order G-199-17, the BCUC amended the regulatory timetable to include a Community Input Session, extend the deadline for intervener registration and add a second round of information requests;

D.      By Order G-15-18, the BCUC amended the regulatory timetable to include a procedural conference, an extension to the deadline for second round of information requests and intervener evidence filing deadline (if required);

E.       On February 16, 2018, the BCUC held a procedural conference and requested parties to provide comments on the need for an oral hearing and suggested dates, comments on the need for intervener evidence and each party’s proposed regulatory timetable for the remainder of the proceeding;

F.       By Order G-42-18, the BCUC amended the regulatory timetable to include an extension to the deadline for a second round of BCUC information requests, intervener evidence filing deadline and corresponding information requests, as well as a second procedural conference scheduled for April 3, 2018;

G.      By letters dated March 28, 2018, the BCUC requested participants to address three items at the second procedural conference: the need for an oral hearing based on a limited scope, each party’s availability if an oral hearing is established and submissions on using a concurrent evidence approach (colloquially known as “hot-tubbing”) for cross-examination of witnesses at the oral hearing, if one is established;

H.      On April 3, 2018, the BCUC held the second procedural conference; and

I.        Following consideration of the submissions made by BC Hydro and the seven interveners at the second procedural conference, the BCUC determined that a further regulatory timetable for the review of the Application should be established.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:

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

2.       Oral argument will be held at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 19, 2018, in the BCUC’s Hearing Room on 12th Floor, 1125 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2K8.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this    5^th      day of April 2018.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

A. K. Fung, QC

Commissioner

Attachment

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Waneta 2017 Transaction Application