Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-70-20

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Review of the Performance Based Regulation Report

BEFORE:

D. M. Morton, Panel Chair

A. K. Fung, QC, Commissioner

E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner

R. I. Mason, Commissioner

on March 27, 2020

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 (RRA) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC);

B.      Directive 28 of the BCUC’s decision on the F2017-F2019 RRA directed BC Hydro to provide a report to the BCUC that discusses, among other things, the opportunities and challenges associated with the adoption of Performance Based Regulation (PBR) at BC Hydro and a possible approach to adopting PBR (PBR Report);

C.      BC Hydro provided the PBR Report as part of its F2020-F2021 RRA along with two expert reports regarding the matter as Appendices FF and GG to the F2020-F2021 RRA;

D.      On October 11, 2019, by Order G-244-19, the BCUC directed that the PBR Report will not be reviewed as part of the review of the F2020-F2021 RRA and by Order G-245-19, dated October 11, 2019, the BCUC established a proceeding for the review of the PBR Report and related materials;

E.       On October 11, 2019 by Order G-246-19, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable for the review of the PBR Report and related materials;

F.       On December 12, 2019, following the procedural conference held on November 22, 2019, the BCUC established an updated regulatory timetable in Order G-326-19 for review of the PBR Report and related materials, including a scheduled workshop on March 31, 2020;

G.     By letter dated March 13, 2020 and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the BCUC announced the cancellation of all public events, including the BCUC-facilitated workshop scheduled for March 31, 2020, until further notice;

H.      By letter dated March 16, 2020, BC Hydro requested an amendment to the regulatory timetable to extend the date for submitting clarifying questions and high-level topics to align with the new date to be established for the BCUC-facilitated workshop;

I.        By letter dated March 17, 2020, the BCUC confirmed the cancellation of the BCUC-facilitated workshop scheduled for March 31, 2020 and extended the deadline for submitting written clarifying questions and high-level topics to Tuesday, June 30, 2020. Registered parties were also asked to confirm their availability and preferred date for a new BCUC-facilitated workshop; and

J.        The BCUC has received and reviewed submissions from BC Hydro, BC Sustainable Energy Association, Zone II Ratepayers Group, British Columbia Old Age Pensioner’s Organization et al, Movement of United Professionals, Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia, Clean Energy Association of BC, and Edlira Gjoshe, and considers that an amendment to the regulatory timetable is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE, the BCUC amends the regulatory timetable established by Order G-326-19. The amended regulatory timetable for the review of the Application is attached as Appendix A to this order.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this            27^th                   day of March 2020.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

D. M. Morton

Commissioner

Attachment

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Review of the Performance-Based Regulation Report