Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-118-20

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd.

Application for Approval of the 2019 Franchise Agreement between

Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. and the City of Fort St. John

BEFORE:

R. I. Mason, Panel Chair

W. M. Everett, QC, Commissioner

B. A. Magnan, Commissioner

on May 20, 2020

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On December 10, 2019, Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) (PNG (N.E.)) applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC), for approval of a franchise agreement between the City of Fort St. John and PNG (N.E.), pursuant to section 45(7) of the Utilities Commission Act (Application);

B.      PNG (N.E.) (through its predecessor company Centra Gas Fort St. John Inc.) and the City of Fort St. John entered into a franchise agreement (1997 Franchise Agreement) dated December 8, 1997, approved by BCUC Order C-4-98, dated May 26, 1998. The 1997 Franchise Agreement expired on December 7, 2018; 

C.      PNG (N.E.) submits that on December 3, 2018, PNG (N.E.) and the City of Fort St. John entered into interim operating arrangements to provide for the continued service to customers in the franchise area while the negotiation and approval of new franchise terms were conducted;

D.      By Order G-36-20, dated February 28, 2020, the BCUC established a public hearing process and Regulatory Timetable for review of the Application, which consisted of BCUC information requests (IRs), PNG (N.E.) responses to IRs and intervener registration;

E.       By Letter dated March 26, 2020, the BCUC amended the Regulatory Timetable in response to PNG (N.E.)’s request by Letter dated March 25, 2020 to extend the deadline to file responses to IRs;

F.       On April 2, 2020, British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. (BCOAPO) registered as an intervener;

G.     On April 2, 2020, PNG (N.E.) filed responses to BCUC IRs;

H.      By Order G-84-20, dated April 9, 2020, the BCUC established a further Regulatory Timetable, which consisted of BCUC and Intervener IRs, PNG (N.E.) responses to IRs and submissions on further process;

I.        By Letter dated May 15, 2020, PNG (N.E.) requested an amendment to the Regulatory Timetable to provide additional time to complete the IR responses; and 

J.        The Panel considers that an amendment to the Regulatory Timetable is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE, the BCUC orders that the Regulatory Timetable established in Order G-84-20 is amended, as set out in Appendix A to this order. 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                  20^th               day of May, 2020.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

R. I. Mason

Commissioner

Attachment

Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd.

Application for Approval of the 2019 Franchise Agreement between

Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. and the City of Fort St. John