Orders

 

ORDER NUMBER

G-206-18

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) Application for Approval of an

Operating Agreement between the City of Kelowna and FEI

 

BEFORE:

R. I. Mason, Panel Chair/Commissioner

W. M. Everett, QC, Commissioner

B. A. Magnan, Commissioner

 

on October 31, 2018

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      The City of Kelowna and the predecessor companies to FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) (Terasen Gas Inc., BC Gas Utility Ltd. and Inland Natural Gas Co. Ltd.) entered into a Franchise Agreement when natural gas was first made available to the Okanagan in 1957;

B.      By Order C-15-80, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) approved the Franchise Agreement entered into between FEI (through predecessor company Inland Natural Gas Co. Ltd.) and the City of Kelowna on January 20, 1978;

C.      BCUC Order C-2-02 extended the Franchise Agreement between FEI (through predecessor company BC Gas Utility Ltd.) and the City of Kelowna to October 31, 2018;

D.      On October 9, 2018, FEI applied to the BCUC for approval of an Operating Agreement dated September 27, 2018, between the City of Kelowna and FEI (Application), under section 23(1)(g) of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA);

E.       The Panel will be unable to make a final determination on the Application prior to the expiry date of the Franchise Agreement; and

F.       The Panel has reviewed the Application and considers that a regulatory timetable should be established.

 

NOW THEREFORE under section 23(1)(g) of the UCA, the BCUC orders as follows:

 

1.       Given the expiry of the Franchise Agreement on October 31, 2018, the Panel approves the Operating Agreement on an interim basis until a final determination is made on the Operating Agreement Application.

2.       A public hearing process and a regulatory timetable is established, as set out in Appendix A to this order.

3.       FEI must publish, no later than Wednesday, November 21, 2018, in display-ad format, the Public Notice attached as Appendix B to this order. Publication should be in such appropriate news publications as may properly provide adequate notice to FEI customers in the City of Kelowna.

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this             31st              day of October 2018.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

R. I. Mason

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

 

 

FortisBC Energy Inc.

FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) Application for Approval of an

Operating Agreement between the City of Kelowna and FEI

 

 

 

 

 

On October 9, 2018, FortisBC Energy Inc. applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC), under section 23(1)(g) of the Utilities Commission Act for approval of an operating agreement dated September 27, 2018, between the City of Kelowna and FortisBC Energy Inc.

 

HOW TO PARTICIPATE There are a number of ways to participate in a matter before the BCUC: •         Submit a letter of comment •         Register as an interested party •         Request intervener status   For more information, or to find the forms for any of the options above, please visit our website or contact us at the information below.   http://www.bcuc.com/forms/request-to-intervene.aspx   All submissions received, including letters of comment, are placed on the public record, posted on the BCUC’s website and provided to the Panel and all participants in the proceeding.

NEXT STEPS 1.       Intervener registration Persons who are directly or sufficiently affected by the BCUC’s decision or have relevant information or expertise and that wish to actively participate in the proceeding can request intervener status by submitting a completed Request to Intervene Form by December 5, 2018.

 

GET MORE INFORMATION
All documents filed on the public record are available on the “Current Proceedings” page of the BCUC’s website at www.bcuc.com.   If you would like to review the material in hard copy, or if you have any other inquiries, please contact Patrick Wruck, Commission Secretary, at the following contact information.	British Columbia Utilities Commission Suite 410, 900 Howe Street Vancouver, BC Canada  V6Z 2N3   E: Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com   P: 604.660.4700