ORDER NUMBER

G-88-18

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

FortisBC Energy Inc.

2017 Price Risk Management Plan

BEFORE:

H.G. Harowitz, Commissioner/Panel Chair

D.J. Enns, Commissioner

B.A. Magnan, Commissioner

on May 9, 2018

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On June 13, 2017, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) filed the 2017 Price Risk Management Plan (2017 PRMP) Application for approval by the British Columbia Utilities Commission (the BCUC);

B.      On August 25, 2017, by Order G-133-17, the BCUC set out the initial regulatory timetable for review of the 2017 PRMP Application, including an invitation to FEI and Interveners to provide comments on the appropriate scope and process for the proceeding;

C.      On September 11, 2017, FEI and the Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia filed submissions in response to Order G-133-17 and FEI filed a reply submission on September 26, 2017;

D.      By Order G-168-17 dated November 23, 2017, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable outlining the scope for the process and requiring FEI to submit a revised application and/or addenda to the 2017 PRMP;

E.       In compliance with Order G-168-17, on January 5, 2018, FEI chose to file a revised application titled the 2018 Price Risk Management Plan (2018 PRMP Application);

F.       On January 24, 2018 by Order G-22-18, the BCUC amended the regulatory timetable established by Order
G-168-17;

G.      On March 8, 2017, the BCUC issued Information Request (IR) No. 1, as well as a glossary of terms (BCUC Glossary) with a purpose to establish a common understanding of the technical terms used in the evidence in the proceeding. The BCUC requested, if a participant feels that they are unable to use a term in their submissions in a manner that aligns with the definition contained in the BCUC’s Glossary, the participant to identify the term and note the specific difference in the definition;

H.      On April 6, 2018, in accordance with the regulatory timetable established by Order G-22-18, FEI filed responses to the BCUC and interveners IR No. 1 as well as a revised glossary of terms (FEI Glossary); and

I.        The Panel has considered the IR No. 1 responses and FEI Glossary and determines that a regulatory timetable to establish further process for the 2018 PRMP Application is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE for the reasons attached as Appendix B to this order, the BCUC orders that a further regulatory timetable for 2018 PRMP Application is established, as set out in Appendix A to this order.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                9^th                day of May 2018.

BY ORDER

Original Signed by:

H.G. Harowitz

Commissioner

Attachments

FortisBC Energy Inc.

2017 Price Risk Management Plan

FortisBC Energy Inc.

2017 Price Risk Management Plan

1.0              Application and Scope

On June 13, 2017, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (the BCUC) for approval, the 2017 Price Risk Management Plan (2017 PRMP) Application. On August 25, 2017, by Order G-133-17, the Panel set out the initial regulatory timetable for the proceeding, including an invitation to FEI and Interveners to provide comments on the appropriate scope and process for the proceeding. The BCUC considered filed submissions and determined that a proper review of the 2017 PRMP Application requires a broader scope than requested by FEI. By Order G-168-17, the BCUC required FEI to submit a revised application and/or addenda to the 2017 PRMP Application and established a regulatory timetable outlining the scope for the process, including intervener registration and a round of Information Requests (IR) with further process to be determined.

2.0              Further process for the proceeding

On January 5, 2018, FEI filed a revised application titled the 2018 Price Risk Management Plan Application
(2018 PRMP Application).

During the review process of the 2018 PRMP Application, the Panel noted that the document refers to a number of technical terms. On March 8, 2018, the BCUC issued its IR No. 1 and, for the purposes of this proceeding, a glossary of terms (BCUC Glossary). As noted in the letter accompanying the BCUC Glossary, the purpose of the BCUC Glossary was not to provide an exhaustive list of definitions nor to establish definitions that will endure beyond the scope of this proceeding, but rather to establish a common understanding of the technical terms used in the evidence, to ensure consistency and encourage participants to use precise language throughout the proceeding. In addition, the BCUC requested, if a participant feels that they are unable to use a term in their submissions in a manner that aligns with the definition contained in the BCUC Glossary, the participant to identify the term and note the specific difference in the definition.

On April 6, 2018, FEI filed responses to the BCUC and interveners IR No. 1, as well as a revised glossary of terms (FEI Glossary). FEI noted that it found necessary to revise all of the definitions provided in the BCUC Glossary in order to reflect the context of how FEI intended the terms to be used.

3.0              Panel discussion and determination

The Panel has reviewed the filed IR No. 1 responses and the FEI Glossary. The Panel notes that FEI has revised all of the definitions provided in the BCUC Glossary and, in the Panel’s view, certain distinctions in definitions are material. While the Panel acknowledges that FEI filed its IR No. 1 responses using definitions of the terms provided in FEI’s Glossary, this acknowledgement does not constitute an approval of the definitions provided in the FEI Glossary. The Panel makes no findings on the definitions of the FEI Glossary at this time and clarifies that any findings related to this matter will be provided in a decision regarding the 2018 PRMP Application.

Further, upon review of the evidence in this hearing, the Panel considers there is sufficient information on the evidentiary record. Therefore, the Panel finds that no further IR’s are needed and that a regulatory timetable to establish the filing of final arguments is warranted. A further regulatory timetable for 2018 PRMP Application is established, as set out in Appendix A of this order.