Orders

 

ORDER NUMBER

G-45-19

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Fiscal 2020 to Fiscal 2021 Revenue Requirements Application

 

BEFORE:

D. M. Morton, Panel Chair

A. K. Fung, QC, Commissioner

E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner

R. I. Mason, Commissioner

 

on March 1, 2019

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On February 25, 2019, the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed its Fiscal 2020 to Fiscal 2021 (F2020–F2021) Revenue Requirements Application (Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) pursuant to sections 44.2, 58 to 61 and 99 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) requesting, among other things:

                      (i)                   approval of a reduction of the Deferral Account Rate Rider (DARR) from 5 percent to 0 percent effective April 1, 2019;

                    (ii)                   approval of an increase in rates by 6.85 percent effective April 1, 2019;

                  (iii)                   approval of an increase in rates by 0.72 percent effective April 1, 2020; and

                   (iv)                   approval of the F2020–F2021 Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) rates as set out in Table 9-8 of the Application effective April 1, 2019 and April 1, 2020, respectively;

B.      BC Hydro requests these changes be made effective on an interim basis, pending a final BCUC decision on the Application;

C.      On February 26, 2019, BC Hydro filed a letter requesting that certain information in Appendix I, J, K and Y be held confidential due to the commercially sensitive nature of the information, in accordance with Part IV of the BCUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure attached to Order G-15-19;

D.      In the Application, BC Hydro proposes a regulatory review process that includes two rounds of written information requests and a procedural conference following the second round of information requests; and

E.       The BCUC has commenced its review of the Application and BC Hydro’s request that certain information in Appendix I, J, K and Y be held confidential. The BCUC finds that a regulatory timetable should be established for the initial review of the Application and that the setting of interim rates is warranted. The BCUC will hold certain information in Appendix I, J, K and Y confidential on an interim basis pending further review.

 

NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to sections 58 to 61, 89 and 90 of the UCA, the BCUC orders as follows:

 

1.       The requested reduction of the DARR from 5 percent to 0 percent is approved on an interim basis effective April 1, 2019.

2.       The requested rate increase of 6.85 percent is approved on an interim basis effective April 1, 2019.

3.       The requested OATT rates for F2020 as set out in Table 9-8 of the Application are approved on an interim basis effective April 1, 2019.

4.       The rates approved by this order will remain interim and subject to refund/recovery or adjustment with interest at BC Hydro’s weighted average cost of debt until further order of the BCUC.

5.       BC Hydro is directed to refile with the BCUC the rate schedules reflecting the interim rate changes for endorsement by the BCUC within 30 days of the issuance of this order, in accordance with the terms of this order.

6.       BC Hydro must provide all BC Hydro customers with notification of the interim rate changes as soon as is practicable.

7.       The Regulatory Timetable for the initial review of the Application is established as set out in Appendix A to this order. Parties who wish to actively participate in the proceeding are to register with the BCUC by completing a Request to Intervene Form, available on the BCUC’s website under Get Involved, by the date established in the Regulatory Timetable and in accordance with the BCUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure attached to Order G-15-19.

8.       The request to hold certain information in Appendix I, J, K and Y in the Application as confidential is granted on an interim basis pending further review.

9.       A procedural conference will be held on Monday, June 24, 2019, commencing at 9:00 a.m. at the BCUC Hearing Room on the 12th Floor at 1125 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, to determine any further necessary process.

10.   BC Hydro must provide a copy of this order within 2 business days of issuance, electronically where possible, to all registered interveners and interested parties who participated in the BC Hydro F2017 to F2019 Revenue Requirements Application. BC Hydro must publish in print/display-ad format, on or before Monday, March 11, 2019, the Notice of Application attached as Appendix B to this order, in an effort to properly provide adequate notice to the public in its service area. Print advertising must include, but is not limited to, the following media outlets:

•         The Vancouver Sun

•         The Prince George Citizen

•         The Victoria Times Colonist

•         The Kelowna Daily Courier

•         The Alaska Highway News

11.   BC Hydro must publish notice of this Application on its Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook social media platforms, on or before Monday, March 4, 2019. It must also publish weekly reminder notices on each of these platforms until the conclusion of the intervener registration period on Thursday, March 21, 2019.

12.   BC Hydro must make the Application and non-confidential supporting material available for inspection at BC Hydro’s head office located on the 16th Floor at 333 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver, BC, and at the BCUC’s office at Suite 410, 900 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC. BC Hydro must also make the Application available on its website at http://www.bchydro.com.

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this               1st                 day of March 2019.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original Signed By:

 

D. M. Morton

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

 

 

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

F2020 to F2021 Revenue Requirements Application

 

 

 

 

Location of the workshop and procedural conference:

BCUC Hearing Room

                12th Floor, 1125 Howe Street

                Vancouver, BC  V6Z 2K8

 

Parties who are unable to attend the workshop or procedural conference in-person may participate by teleconferencing. Please note in your registration if you require teleconferencing.

 

*Parties who wish to attend the BC Hydro workshop must register with BC Hydro by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 14, 2019.

 

**Parties who wish to attend the procedural conference must register with the BCUC by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, June 21, 2019.

 

***The BCUC intends to hold community input sessions in several locations in BC Hydro’s service area in order to hear from interveners and members of the public as part of the review of this Application. A schedule of dates and locations will be published in the near future.

 

 

 

BC HYDRO’S FISCAL 2020 & 2021 RATE APPLICATION

On February 25, 2019, BC Hydro filed its F2020 to F2021 Revenue Requirements Application (Rate Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC). The Rate Application contains several proposals, including a request for a net bill increase of 1.76 percent effective April 1, 2019. More information on the application can be found at www.bcuc.com on our “Current Proceedings” page and a hard copy of the application is also available for review at the BCUC’s office and BC Hydro’s head office.

 

HOW TO PARTICIPATE        Submit a letter of comment        Register as an interested party        Request intervener status        Attend the BC Hydro Workshop*        Attend the Procedural Conference**        Attend a Community Input Session***

IMPORTANT DATES        Friday, March 15, 2019 – BC Hydro Workshop commencing at 9 a.m. in Vancouver, BC*        Thursday, March 21, 2019 – Deadline to register as an intervener with the BCUC        Monday, June 24, 2019 – Procedural Conference commencing at 9 a.m. in Vancouver, BC**

For more information on getting involved, please visit our website (www.bcuc.com/get-involved) or contact us at the information below.

*Parties who wish to attend the BC Hydro workshop must register via email with BC Hydro by 4 p.m. on March 14, 2019.

**Parties who wish to attend the procedural conference must register via email with the BCUC by 4 p.m. on June 21, 2019.

***Information such as dates and locations for Community Input Sessions will be available through the BCUC at a later date.

GET MORE INFORMATION
BC Hydro Regulatory & Rates Group 16th Floor, 333 Dunsmuir Street Vancouver, BC  V6B 5R3   E: bchydroregulatorygroup@bchydro.com   P: 604.623.4046	British Columbia Utilities Commission Suite 410, 900 Howe Street Vancouver, BC  V6Z 2N3   E: Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com   P: 604.660.4700