Orders

ORDER NUMBER

F-21-18

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

Participant Assistance/Cost Award Application

BEFORE:

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

H. G. Harowitz, Commissioner

B. A. Magnan, Commissioner

on August 21, 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, 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.      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. (BCOAPO et al.), registered as an intervener in the proceeding;

C.      By Order G-58-18, dated March 14, 2018, the BCUC ordered that the proceeding progress to the final argument stage;

D.      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;

E.       On July 20, 2018, by Order G-136-18 with the decision issued concurrently, the BCUC denied PNG(NE)’s Application 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;

F.       The following participant filed a Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) application with the BCUC with respect to their participation in the proceeding:

G.      On May 7, 2018, PNG(NE) provided its comments on the PACA application, stating that it found the BCOAPO et al. PACA application of $5,088.50 for legal counsel and consultant fees and expenses to be reasonable; and

H.      The BCUC has reviewed the PACA application in accordance with the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines, attached to BCUC Order G-97-17, and concludes that the cost award should be approved.

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 118(1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the BCUC orders as follows:

1.       Funding is awarded to the following intervener in the listed amount for their participation in the North Pine Fuel Gas Pipeline CPCN proceeding:

2.       PNG(NE) is directed to reimburse the above-noted participant for the awarded amount in a timely manner.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                21^st              day of August 2018.

BY ORDER

Original signed by

W. M. Everett

Commissioner