Orders

ORDER NUMBER

F-16-20

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Customer Crisis Fund Evaluation Report

Participant Assistance/Cost Award Application

BEFORE:

W. M. Everett, QC, Panel Chair

D. A. Cote, Commissioner

K. A. Keilty, Commissioner

On April 28, 2020

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On July 31, 2019, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed its Year One Evaluation Report for the Customer Crisis Fund (CCF) Pilot Program (Year One Evaluation Report) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC);

B.      BC Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA); FortisBC Energy Inc. and FortisBC Inc. (collectively FortisBC); Mr. Anthony Lo; Non-Integrated Areas Ratepayers Group (NIARG); BC Old Age Pensioners’ Organization, Active Support Against Poverty, Council of Senior Citizens’ Organizations of BC, Disability Alliance BC, and Together Against Poverty Society (BCOAPO); Zone II Ratepayers Group (Zone II RPG); and Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia (CEC) registered as interveners in the CCF Evaluation Report proceeding;

C.      By Order G-195-19, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable for the CCF Evaluation Report proceeding, which included an opportunity for submissions from BC Hydro and interveners regarding timing, regulatory process and scope for the review of the CCF Pilot Program;

D.      By Order G-5-20 the BCUC adjourned the CCF Evaluation Report proceeding pending the filing of BC Hydro’s Two Year Evaluation Report for the CCF Pilot Program on or before July 28, 2020, being within 90 days of the completion of the second year of the CCF Pilot Program in compliance with Order G-166-17;

E.       The following participant filed an interim Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) application with the BCUC with respect to their participation in the proceeding up to the time of the adjournment:

F.       By letter dated April 27, 2020, BC Hydro provided its comments on the PACA application, stating that the interim PACA application is substantially consistent with the BCUC PACA Guidelines and that BCSEA contributed to a better understanding of the Application. BC Hydro leaves it to the BCUC as to the level of cost award to be made; and

G.     The BCUC has reviewed the interim PACA application in accordance with the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines, attached to Commission Order G-97-17, and considers that an interim cost award is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 118(1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the BCUC orders as follows:

1.       Interim funding is awarded to the following intervener in the listed amount for their participation in the proceeding up to the time of the adjournment:

2.       BC Hydro is directed to reimburse the above-noted participant for the awarded amount in a timely manner.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                 28^th              day of April, 2020.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

W. M. Everett, QC

Commissioner