Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-72-20

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. and Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd.

Application for Acceptance of the

2019 Consolidated Resource Plan and

Energy Conservation and Innovation Portfolio Funding for 2020 to 2022

BEFORE:

A. K. Fung, QC, Panel Chair

C. Brewer, Commissioner

R. I. Mason, Commissioner

on March 31, 2020

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On October 31, 2019, Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. and Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. (PNG(N.E.)) (collectively, PNG) filed for acceptance by the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) its 2019 Consolidated Resource Plan and expenditure schedule for the Energy Conservation and Innovation (ECI) Portfolio for 2020 to 2022 (2020-2022 ECI Expenditure Schedule), pursuant to sections 44.1 and 44.2 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) (together, the Application);

B.      In the Application, PNG also seeks the following approvals:

1. Flexibility in the reallocation of expenditures among Demand Side Management (DSM) programs and between program years, subject to the total amount not exceeding the total amount of $2,278,000 as per the 2020-2022 ECI Expenditure Schedule; and
2. Approval to record all DSM expenditures in a rate base regulatory asset deferral account, and to retain the 5-year amortization period for DSM expenditures approved by BCUC Order G-121-19;

C.      By Order G-322-19, dated December 9, 2019, the BCUC established a public hearing process and regulatory timetable for review of the Application, which consisted of intervener registration, BCUC and intervener information requests (IRs), PNG responses to IRs and submissions on further process;

D.      By January 17, 2020, British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. (BCOAPO) and British Columbia Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA) registered as interveners;

E.       By Order G-24-20, dated February 19, 2020, the BCUC amended the Regulatory Timetable in response to PNG’s request to extend the deadline to file responses to IRs;

F.       On March 6, 2020, PNG filed responses to BCUC and intervener IRs;

G.     On March 16, 2020, PNG, BCOAPO and BCSEA filed submissions on further process; and

H.      The Panel has reviewed the evidence and submissions and considers that an amendment to the Regulatory Timetable is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders the Regulatory Timetable established by Order G-24-20 is amended, as set out in Appendix A to this order.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this               31st               day of March 2020.

BY ORDER

Original Signed By:

A. K. Fung, QC

Commissioner

Attachment

Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. and Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd.

Application for Acceptance of the

2019 Consolidated Resource Plan and

Energy Conservation and Innovation Portfolio Funding for 2020 to 2022