ORDER NUMBER
G-47-19
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
FortisBC Inc.
Application for Approval of 2019–2022 Demand Side Management Expenditures Plan
BEFORE:
B. A. Magnan, Panel Chair / Commissioner
W. M. Everett, Q.C., Commissioner
H. G. Harowitz, Commissioner
on March 4, 2019
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. FortisBC Inc. (FBC) seeks acceptance, pursuant to section 44.2 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), of its Demand-Side Management (DSM) expenditure schedule as set out in Table 5-1 of the Application, for a total of $44.0 million (inflation adjusted) for 2019 through 2022, by application filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) on August 2, 2018 (Application);
B. FBC also seeks the following:
1. approval to move to a 15-year amortization period for DSM expenditures, as set out in Section 8.1 of the Application; and
2. approval for flexibility in the timing of expenditures within the proposed program areas, as set out in Section 8.2 of the Application;
C. By Order G-179-18 dated September 25, 2018, the BCUC established a written public hearing process for the review of the Application;
D. The BC Sustainable Energy Association and Sierra Club BC (BCSEA-SCBC), Movement of United Professionals (MoveUp); Industrial Customers Group (ICG) and the Commercial Energy Consumer Association of British Columbia (CEC) registered as interveners in the proceeding;
E. The BCUC submitted Information Requests (IRs) to FBC on October 11, 2018, and BCSEA-SCBC, MoveUp, ICG and the CEC submitted IRs to FBC on October 16, 2018. FBC provided its responses to BCUC and intervener IRs on October 30, 2018. FBC filed its Final Argument on November 13, 2018. Final Arguments were filed by BCSEA-SCBC, MoveUp, ICG and the CEC by November 27, 2018, and FBC provided its Reply Argument on December 4, 2018;
F. The BCUC has reviewed the evidence and considers that FBC’s 2019–2022 DSM expenditure schedule should be accepted on the terms and conditions set out in this order.
NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:
1. The FBC DSM expenditure schedule, outlined in Table 5-1 of the Application and setting out expenditures of $44.0 million for 2019 through 2022, is accepted.
2. FBC’s request to move from a 10-year to a 15‐year amortization period for DSM expenditures as set out in Section 8.1 of the Application is denied.
3. FBC’s request for funding transfers as outlined in Section 8.2 of the Application is approved, subject to the terms and conditions set out in Section 4 of the accompanying Decision to this order.
4. FBC is directed to comply with the reporting requirements set out in Section 6 of the accompanying Decision to this order.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 4th day of March 2019.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
B. A. Magnan
Commissioner