Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-148-18

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Review of the Regulatory Oversight of Capital Expenditures and Projects

BEFORE:

K. A. Keilty, Commissioner/Panel Chair

W. M. Everett, Q.C., Commissioner

R. I. Mason, Commissioner

on August 13, 2018

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On May 3, 2016, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) issued Order G-58-16 establishing a proceeding to review the regulatory oversight of British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority’s (BC Hydro) capital expenditures and projects (Review);

B.      On May 10, 2016, the BCUC issued Order G-63-16, which set out a preliminary regulatory timetable, including a Proposed Scope of the Issues and Timing document attached as Appendix B to that order;

C.       On November 30, 2016, the BCUC issued Order G-174-16, which set out a further regulatory timetable, including a BC Hydro guidance document, BCUC and intervener questions, transcribed workshop and a procedural conference regarding further process, to commence following the issuance of the BCUC’s final decision on the
BC Hydro Fiscal 2017 to Fiscal 2019 Revenue Requirements Application (2017-2019 RRA);

D.      By Order G-47-18 dated March 1, 2018, the BCUC issued its final decision on the BC Hydro 2017-2019 RRA;

E.       By Order G-59-18 dated March 15, 2018, the BCUC issued an updated regulatory timetable;

F.       By Order G-89-18 dated May 1, 2018, the BCUC established a procedural conference. The procedural conference was held on June 27, 2018 and submissions were made by BC Hydro, Clean Energy Association of BC (CEABC), Commercial Energy Consumers’ Association of British Columbia (CEC), BC Sustainable Energy Association and Sierra Club of British Columbia (BCSEA); B.C. Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. (BCOAPO), Movement of United Professionals (MoveUP) and BCUC staff;

G.      By Order G-126-18 dated July 12, 2018, the BCUC issued:

1.       A decision determining that the scope of the Review proceeding remains as determined in Order
G-174-16 and

2.       An updated regulatory timetable providing for:

                                       i.            interveners and BCUC staff to file Notices of Intention to File Evidence together with a brief summary of the nature of the proposed evidence and its relevance; and

                                     ii.            written submissions of parties on the proposed evidence summaries and their relevance.

H.      On July 26, 2018, CEC and BCUC staff filed Notices of Intention to File Evidence with a brief summary of the nature of the proposed evidence and its relevance; and on August 2, 2018, BCSEA, BCOAPO, BC Hydro and CEC filed submissions on the proposed evidence summaries;

I.        With respect to the CEC Notice of Intention to File Evidence, in its August 2, 2018 submission, BC Hydro commented that Participant Allowance and Cost Award should only be approved for evidence that is in scope for the proceeding;

J.        With respect to the BCUC staff Notice of Intention to File Evidence, in its August 2, 2018 submission, BC Hydro requested that the BCUC clarify that:

•         BCUC staff will manage the logistics and budget of the work and will ensure that the consultant adheres to the scope of the project;

•         BCUC staff will not take a position on any topic in the report and will not influence any opinion of the consultant;

•         the consultant will not make any recommendations on any of BC Hydro’s proposals; and

•         the consultant will be subject to information requests by all parties;

K.       BCOAPO in its August 2,2018 submission agreed with BC Hydro’s position on BCUC staff’s proposed evidence;

L.       BC Hydro, in its August 2018 letter, submitted that CEC should be required to file its evidence by the same timeline proposed by BCUC staff (September 10, 2018). BCSEA views that it would be helpful if evidence filed by BCUC staff was available for CEC’s appointed consultant to consider;

M.    By letter dated August 2, 2018, BC Hydro requested the opportunity to file rebuttal evidence if the BCUC determines that it is appropriate for BCUC staff and/or CEC to file evidence;

N.      By letter dated August 10, 2018 (Exhibit A-17), BCUC staff withdrew its intention to file evidence; and

O.      The BCUC has reviewed the submissions and finds that a further regulatory timetable for the Review should be established.

O.

NOW THEREFORE the British Columbia Utilities Commission orders that a further regulatory timetable for the Review be established, as provided in Appendix A to this order.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this          13^th          day of August 2018.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

K. A. Keilty

Commissioner

Attachment

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Review of the Regulatory Oversight of Capital Expenditures and Projects