Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-29-20

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

Creative Energy Vancouver Platforms Inc.

2019-2020 Revenue Requirements Application for the

Core Steam System and Northeast False Creek Service Areas

BEFORE:

A. K. Fung, QC, Panel Chair

K. A. Keilty, Commissioner

E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner

on February 21, 2020

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On December 19, 2019, Creative Energy Vancouver Platforms Inc. (Creative Energy) filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) a 2019-2020 Revenue Requirements Application (RRA) for the core steam system (Core Steam System) and Northeast False Creek (NEFC) service areas (Application);

B.      In the Application, Creative Energy requests for the Core Steam System, among other things, the following approvals:

                              (i)            Permanent approval to maintain rates for the Core Steam System (Steam Rates) at 2019 interim approved rates, effective January 1, 2019;

                            (ii)            Interim and permanent approval of an increase in Steam Rates of 4.2 percent, effective January 1, 2020; and

                           (iii)            Interim and permanent approval to establish a Deferral Account Rate Rider (DARR) to recover specific non-rate base regulatory and pension-related deferred costs from Core Steam System customers over a two-year amortization period, commencing January 1, 2020;  

C.      Creative Energy also requests for the NEFC service area, among other things, the following approvals:

                              (i)            Permanent approval to maintain NEFC’s fixed and variable rates (Hot Water Service Rates) at 2019 interim approved rates, effective January 1, 2019;

                            (ii)            Interim and permanent approval of an increase in Hot Water Service Rates of 3.7 percent, effective January 1, 2020; and

                           (iii)            Interim and permanent approval to charge a Fuel Cost Adjustment Charge (FCAC) Rate Rider to NEFC customers to recover the existing FCAC Rate Rider in effect for Core Steam System customers, effective January 1, 2020 and ending February 28, 2021;

D.      By Order G-7-20A dated January 15, 2020, the BCUC established, among other things a regulatory timetable for the review of the Application, which included Creative Energy filing an evidentiary update and a proposal for the potential recovery of the balance in its Fuel Switch Study and LTRP Deferral Account by February 21, 2020, two rounds of information requests (IRs) by the BCUC and interveners, and the filing of written final and reply arguments;

E.       By letter dated February 20, 2020, Creative Energy requested a one-week extension to the filing deadline of its proposal for the potential recovery of the balance in its Fuel Switch Study and LTRP Deferral Account from February 21, 2020 to February 28, 2020, with no consequent amendment to the rest of the regulatory timetable established by Order G-7-20A; and

F.       The BCUC has reviewed Creative Energy’s request and considers that amending the regulatory timetable, which provides a one-week extension to the deadline for Creative Energy to file the Fuel Switch Study and LTRP Deferral Account proposal and a corresponding extension to the filing deadlines for BCUC and intervener IRs on this information, is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders that the regulatory timetable established by Order G-7-20A is amended, as set out in Appendix A to this order.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this       21st       day of February 2020.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

A. K. Fung, Q.C.

Commissioner

Attachment

Creative Energy Vancouver Platforms Inc.

2019-2020 Revenue Requirements Application for the

Core Steam System and Northeast False Creek Service Areas