ORDER NUMBER
G-136-18
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd
Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to
Acquire and Operate the North Pine Fuel Gas Pipeline
BEFORE:
W. M. Everett, QC, Panel Chair/Commissioner
H. G. Harowitz, Commissioner
B. A. Magnan, Commissioner
on July 20, 2018
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On December 4, 2017 Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. (PNG[NE]) submitted an application to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) seeking approval for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), pursuant to section 45 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), to acquire ownership of and to operate a new fuel gas pipeline (Fuel Gas Pipeline) to provide service to AltaGas Northwest Processing Limited Partnership (AltaGas NPLP) at its North Pine Facility (Application);
B. PNG(NE) is seeking approval to acquire and operate the Fuel Gas Pipeline for a maximum expenditure of $1.8 million. The construction of the Fuel Gas Pipeline was carried out by AltaGas NPLP;
C. On January 17, 2018, the BCUC issued Order G-11-18 establishing a regulatory timetable and written hearing process for the review of the Application, which included one round of information requests, with further process to be determined. One party The British Columbia Old Age Pensioners Organization et al. registered as intervener in the proceeding.
D. By Order G-58-18, dated March 14, 2018, the BCUC ordered that the proceeding progress to the Final Argument stage;
E. PNG(NE) filed its Final Argument on March 28, 2018 and the intervener filed its Final Argument on April 9, 2018. The Reply Argument was filed by PNG(NE) on April 23, 2018; and
F. The BCUC has reviewed and considered the evidence and submissions and makes the following determination.
NOW THEREFORE, for the reasons contained in the decision issued concurrently with this Order, the BCUC orders as follows:
PNG(NE)’s Application pursuant to section 45 of the UCA, for a CPCN to acquire ownership of and to operate the Fuel Gas Pipeline to provide service to AltaGas Northwest Processing Limited Partnership at its North Pine Facility is denied.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 20th day of July 2018.
BY ORDER
Original signed by
W. M. Everett, QC
Commissioner