ORDER NUMBER
E-14-18
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
FortisBC Inc.
Application for Acceptance of Energy Supply Contracts
for 2018/19 and 2019/20
BEFORE:
B. A. Magnan, Commissioner
R. I. Mason, Commissioner
D. J. Enns, Commissioner
on April 27, 2018
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On March 16, 2018, FortisBC Inc. (FBC) filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC ) three energy supply contracts between FBC and Powerex Corporation (Powerex) for the purchase of wholesale market energy (Agreements), pursuant to section 71 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) (Application);
B. By Order G-61-12 dated May 17, 2012, BCUC approved Rules for Energy Supply Contracts for Electricity (Rules). The Rules facilitate BCUC’s review of energy supply contracts for electricity and proposed energy supply contracts for electricity under section 71 of the UCA;
C. By Order E-10-15 dated April 27, 2015, BCUC accepted the Capacity and Energy Purchase and Sale Agreement (CEPSA) between FBC and Powerex. The CEPSA is a master agreement that sets out the terms and conditions for future market transactions regarding capacity and energy entered into by FBC with Powerex;
D. On November 30, 2016, FBC filed its 2016 Long Term Electric Resource Plan (2016 LTERP) with BCUC;
E. The Agreements in the Application are for the purchase of wholesale market energy in the fourth quarter of 2018 and the fourth quarter of 2019 and were made pursuant to CEPSA;
F. FBC requests that the information in the Application and the Agreements be kept confidential due to its commercially sensitive nature. FBC provided notice of its filing and redacted versions of the Agreements to interveners in the Annual Review for 2017 Rates application; and
G. BCUC reviewed the Application and is satisfied that the Agreements are in the public interest and consistent with FBC’s 2017/2018 and 2018/19 Annual Electric Contracting Plans, as well as FBC’s 2016 LTERP.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 71 of the UCA, the British Columbia Utilities Commission accepts the three energy supply contracts executed between February 13, 2018 and February 20, 2018, between FortisBC Inc. and Powerex. BCUC will keep the Application and the Agreements confidential due to their commercially sensitive nature.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 27th day of April 2018.
BY ORDER
Original Signed by:
B. A. Magnan
Commissioner