Orders

 

ORDER NUMBER

G-107-20

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

FortisBC Inc.

Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the

Kelowna Bulk Transformer Addition Project

 

 

BEFORE:

R. I. Mason, Panel Chair

W. M. Everett, QC, Commissioner

T. A. Loski, Commissioner

 

on May 5, 2020

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On April 24, 2020, pursuant to sections 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), FortisBC Inc. (FBC) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for the Kelowna Bulk Transformer Addition Project (Project) (Application);

B.      The Project comprises the following:

•         The installation of a new 120/160/200 MVA 230/138 kV bulk transformer at the F.A. Lee Terminal Station (Lee Terminal Station);

•         The required substation modifications, including the reconfiguration of the 238 kV bus to a ring bus configuration, inside the Lee Terminal Station;

•         Re-alignment of some existing transmission structures outside of the Lee Terminal Station; and

•         Removal of the existing distribution egress within the station and re-alignment of distribution lines outside the Lee Terminal Station;

C.      FBC also requests that certain information contained in the Application be held confidential, pursuant to Section 18 of the BCUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure established by Order G-15-19. Specifically:

                  (i)            Engineering documents filed as Appendix A, which are stated to contain sensitive technical information pertaining to FBC’s assets. Confidentiality is requested on the basis that public disclosure of the information could reasonably be expected to result in harm to the safety of the public, FBC’s employees and the assets themselves; and

                (ii)            Cost estimates filed as Appendices B and C, which are stated to contain costs of the various and specific Project components. Confidentiality is requested on the basis that FBC intends to contract the majority of the construction for the Project and providing potential bidders with this information could reasonably be expected to prejudice FBC’s negotiating position when procuring contracts, resulting in higher costs for the Project;

D.      The BCUC has commenced review of the Application and considers that the establishment of a public hearing process is warranted.

 

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:

 

1.       A public hearing is established for the review of the Application in accordance with the regulatory timetable attached as Appendix A to this order.

2.       FBC must publish, in display-ad format, as soon as reasonably possible but no later than May 29, 2020, the Application notice attached as Appendix B to this order, in such appropriate news publications as may properly provide adequate notice to the public in the affected service area.

3.       FBC must publish notice of the Application on Twitter and Facebook and other social media platforms on or before May 29, 2020, and must publish weekly reminder notices on each of these platforms until the conclusion of the intervener registration period on June 11, 2020.

4.       FBC must publish the Application and any supporting materials on its website www.fortisbc.com.

5.       FBC must provide notice of the Application and this order to all registered interveners in the FBC CPCN Application for the Grand Forks Terminal Station Reliability Project proceeding and the FortisBC Energy Inc. and FBC Multi-Year Rate Plan Application for 2020 to 2024 proceeding as soon as reasonably possible, but no later than May 29, 2020.

6.       Pursuant to Rules 19 and 20 of the BCUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure and on the basis set out in Recital C, the request for confidentiality of the information contained in the following documents filed by FBC is granted:

                  (i)            Engineering documents filed as Appendix A to the Application; and

                (ii)            Cost estimates filed as Appendices B and C to the Application.

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                   5^th                  day of May 2020.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

R. I. Mason

Commissioner

 

Attachment

FortisBC Inc.

Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the

Kelowna Bulk Transformer Addition Project

 

 

 

 

 

FORTISBC INC. KELOWNA BULK TRANSFORMER ADDITION PROJECT APPLICATION

On April 24, 2020, pursuant to sections 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act, FortisBC Inc. (FBC) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Kelowna Bulk Transformer Addition Project (Application).

 

The Application seeks approval to install a 120/160/200 MVA 230/138 kV bulk transformer at the F.A. Lee Terminal Station (Lee Station) on McCurdy Road in Kelowna, BC, as well as undertake required modifications to the substation, re-align some existing transmission structures outside of the Lee Station, remove existing distribution egress within the station, and re-align distribution lines outside the station. The estimated capital cost for the project is approximately $23.288 million.

 

To provide your insights, thoughts and perspectives on the Application, submit a letter comment, request intervener status or register as an interested party at www.bcuc.com/get-involved. All submissions will be posted on www.bcuc.com and will be considered by the Panel in its review of the Application.

 

For more information on getting involved, please visit our website (www.bcuc.com/get-involved) or contact us at the information below.

GET MORE INFORMATION
FortisBC Inc. Suite 100, 1975 Springfield Road Kelowna, BC  V1Y 7V7   16705 Fraser Highway Surrey, BC  V4N 0E8   E: electricity.regulatory.affairs@fortisbc.com   P: 604.592.7664	British Columbia Utilities Commission Suite 410, 900 Howe Street Vancouver, BC  V6Z 2N3   E: Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com    P: 604.660.4700