Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-83-18

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

FortisBC Alternative Energy Services Inc.

Application for Approval of the Fiscal 2018/2019 Revenue Requirements and Cost of Service Rates

for the Thermal Energy Service to Delta School District No. 37

BEFORE:

W. M. Everett, QC, Panel Chair/Commissioner

A. K. Fung, QC, Commissioner

M. Kresivo, QC, Commissioner

on April 27, 2018

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On February 8, 2018, pursuant to sections 59-61 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), FortisBC Alternative Energy Services Inc. (FAES) applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for approval of its revenue requirements and rates for the thermal energy service to Delta School District No. 37 (DSD), based on a proposed switch from the current market rate to the cost of service (COS) rate of $0.223 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) effective July 1, 2018, for the fiscal and contract year from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019 (Application);

B.      On April 5, 2018, pursuant to Order G-56-18, a procedural conference was held to address issues related to the appropriate level of intervention in the proceeding, the appropriate regulatory process, and whether the BCUC should approve interim rates at FAES’ proposed COS rate effective July 1, 2018. FAES and DSD attended and made submissions at the procedural conference;

C.      By Order G-77-18 dated April 12, 2018 and accompanying reasons for decision, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable which included intervener registration, BCUC and intervener information requests (IRs) on the Application, the filing of DSD evidence, BCUC and FAES IRs on the DSD evidence, the filing of rebuttal evidence by FAES, and BCUC and DSD IRs on FAES’ rebuttal evidence, with further process to be determined. The BCUC also approved the existing market rate mechanism and resulting market rate on an interim and refundable basis, effective July 1, 2018;

D.      On April 25, 2018, DSD filed a letter with the BCUC advising that DSD did not receive notice of Order G-77-18 and only just learned of the BCUC’s decision by independently checking the BCUC’s website on April 24, 2018. DSD therefore requests that the BCUC extend all of the deadlines in the regulatory timetable established by Order G-77-18 by 12 days, which is the amount of time during which DSD was not notified of the BCUC’s decision;

E.       FAES responded to DSD’s letter on April 25, 2018, stating it has no objection to the change, and proposed an amended regulatory timetable; and

F.       The BCUC considers that amending the regulatory timetable established by Order G-77-18 is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission amends the regulatory timetable established by Order G-77-18. The amended regulatory timetable is attached as Appendix A to this order.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                 27^th               day of April 2018.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

W. M. Everett, QC

Commissioner

Attachment

FortisBC Alternative Energy Services Inc.

Application for Approval of the Fiscal 2018/2019 Revenue Requirements and Cost of Service Rates

for the Thermal Energy Service to Delta School District No. 37