Orders

 

ORDER NUMBER

G-249-18

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

Creative Energy Vancouver Platforms Inc.

Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for a Neighbourhood

Energy System in the South Downtown area of Vancouver

 

BEFORE:

R. I. Mason, Commissioner/Panel Chair

T. Loski, Commissioner

 

on December 21, 2018

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On November 7, 2018, Creative Energy Vancouver Platforms Inc. (Creative Energy) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) pursuant to sections 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) to operate and expand the Neighbourhood Energy System (NES) to provide heat and hot water services to the Vancouver House Development in the South Downtown area of Vancouver on a permanent basis (Application). The Vancouver House Development comprises four buildings located on three parcels of land:

•         Buildings 1 and 2 at 1480 Howe Street;

•         Building 3 at 1461 Granville Street; and

•         Building 4 at 1462 Granville Street.

B.      On August 28, 2014, the BCUC issued Order G-127-14 approving the Thermal Energy Systems (TES) Regulatory Framework Guidelines (TES Guidelines). Under Section 2.1 of the TES Guidelines, a Stream A TES is defined as:

An On-Site TES with an Initial Capital Cost above $500,000 but less than $15,000,000 is exempt from sections 44.1, 45 and 59-61 of the UCA. TES Providers are required to register Stream A TES prior to building or otherwise acquiring the Stream A TES.

C.      On March 3, 2017, the BCUC issued Order G-28-17 exempting the TES at the 1480 Howe Street location (1480 Howe Street TES) from section 44.1, 45 and 59 to 61 of the UCA. The Order included the following provision:

•         The exemption is provided only for the duration of construction on the site, and Creative Energy is directed to file with the BCUC any changes to the temporary status, location or use of the thermal energy system, in accordance with the TES Guidelines;

D.      On October 16, 2018, Creative Energy filed with the BCUC an application for an extension to the 1480 Howe Street TES to deliver thermal energy to two additional sites (Buildings 3 and 4) beyond the construction period. By Order G-207-18, Creative Energy’s application was denied.

E.       Creative Energy proposes a written hearing process for the review of the Application; and

F.       The BCUC has commenced review of the Application and determines that the establishment of a hearing process is warranted.

 

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders that a written hearing process is established for the review of the Application, in accordance with the regulatory timetable set out in Appendix A to this order.

 

 

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

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

R. I. Mason

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creative Energy Vancouver Platforms Inc.

Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for a Neighbourhood

Energy System in the South Downtown area of Vancouver