Orders

ORDER NUMBER

F-26-19

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Application for Reliability Coordinator Registration with the Mandatory Reliability Standards Program

Participant Assistance/Cost Award Application

BEFORE:

A. K. Fung, QC, Panel Chair

W. M. Everett, QC, Commissioner

on October 22, 2019

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On October 29, 2018, the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) submitted to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) its BC Hydro Reliability Coordinator (RC) Registration Filing (Application). Appended to the Application is BC Hydro’s September 4, 2018 application to the Western Electricity Coordinating Council to register as the RC for the province of British Columbia;

B.      By Orders G-227-18, G-32-19, G-98-19 and G-158-19, the BCUC established and subsequently amended the regulatory timetable to review the Application. The timetable included intervener registration, two rounds of information requests, a workshop and a procedural conference, followed by submissions of final and reply arguments;

C.      The following parties registered as interveners in the proceeding to review the Application:

•         FortisBC Inc (FBC);

•         British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al.; and

•         Catalyst Paper Corporation;

D.      On August 23, 2019, by Order G-199-19 with accompanying reasons for decision, the BCUC made its final determinations on the Application;

E.       British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. filed the following Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) application with the BCUC with respect to its participation in the proceeding:

F.       By letter dated October 11, 2019, BC Hydro provided its comments on the PACA application indicating that the intervener contributed towards understanding the issues raised in the Application and leaving the award of costs up to the BCUC; and

G.     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 considers 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 British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. in the following listed amount for its participation in the BC Hydro Application for Reliability Coordinator Registration with the Mandatory Reliability Standards Program proceeding:

2.       BC Hydro is directed to reimburse the British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. for the awarded amount in a timely manner.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this            22nd             day of October 2019.

BY ORDER

Original Signed By:

A. K. Fung, QC

Commissioner