ORDER NUMBER
F-15-20
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
F2020 to F2021 Revenue Requirements Application
Interim Participant Assistance/Cost Award Application
BEFORE:
D. M. Morton, Panel Chair
A. K. Fung, Commissioner
E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner
R. I. Mason, Commissioner
on April 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 (Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) pursuant to sections 44.2, 58 to 61 and 99 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) requesting, among other things:
1. approval of a reduction of the Deferral Account Rate Rider from 5 percent to 0 percent effective April 1, 2019;
2. approval of an increase in rates by 6.85 percent effective April 1, 2019;
3. approval of an increase in rates by 0.72 percent effective April 1, 2020; and
4. approval of the F2020–F2021 Open Access Transmission Tariff rates as set out in Table 9‑8 of the Application effective April 1, 2019 and April 1, 2020, respectively;
B. By orders G-45-19, G-146-19, G-218-19, G-268-19, G-279-19, G-312-19 and G-63-20, the BCUC established and later amended a regulatory timetable for the review of the Application, which includes, among other things, four rounds of information requests (IRs) to BC Hydro, intervener evidence and IRs on that evidence, rebuttal evidence and an oral hearing, followed by final and reply arguments from all parties, and an oral phase of argument, if required;
C. The Association of Major Power Customers of BC (AMPC) registered as an intervener in the proceeding, and on April 8, 2020, filed an interim Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) application with the BCUC requesting $200,592, inclusive of applicable taxes, with respect to its participation in the proceeding pursuant to the BCUC’s PACA Guidelines (Interim PACA Application);
D. On April 21, 2020, BC Hydro provided its comments regarding the Interim PACA Application and stated, among other things, that it does not object to the interim cost award; and
E. The BCUC has reviewed the Interim PACA Application and the comments made by BC Hydro in accordance with the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines attached to Order G-97-17 and considers an interim cost award is warranted.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 118(1) of the UCA, the BCUC orders as follows:
1. An interim cost award to AMPC in the amount of $200,592 is awarded as an advance against the BCUC’s final cost award determination after the conclusion of the proceeding.
2. BC Hydro is directed to pay AMPC the amount of the interim cost award in a timely manner.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 27th day of April 2020.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
D. M. Morton
Commissioner