Orders

 

ORDER NUMBER

G-129-20A

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

Catalyst Paper Corporation

Request to Reduce Rate Schedule 1893 Baselines

 

BEFORE:

B. A. Magnan, Commissioner

 

on May 29, 2020

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On May 21, 2020, pursuant to sections 58 to 61, 89 and 90 of the Utilities Commission Act and section 15 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, Catalyst Paper Corporation (Catalyst) filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) a request to reduce Rate Schedule (RS) 1893 Baselines at Catalyst (Application);

B.      In the Application, Catalyst seeks BCUC approval for adjustments to British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) RS 1893 customer High Load Hours (HLH) baseline, Low Load Hours (LLH) baseline and Monthly Reference Demand (Demand) at Crofton and Port Alberni sites for the June to August 2020 billing periods;

C.      Catalyst submits that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a dramatic reduction in demand for pulp and paper and as a result, Catalyst has had to curtail production at its facilities resulting in electricity consumption much lower than its HLH and LLH baselines. An interim adjustment to its baselines and Demand would allow it adequate time to realize new market opportunities;

D.      Pursuant to the Tariff Supplement No. 74 Customer Baseline Load (CBL) Determination Guidelines, all CBLs are subject to final approval by the BCUC;

E.       Catalyst requests that the baseline and Demand tables in the Application be held in confidence as they contain commercially sensitive information; and

F.       The BCUC considers interim approval of the Application is warranted and that a public hearing for the review of the Application and the establishment of a regulatory timetable is also warranted.

 

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:

 

1.       The HLH baseline, LLH baseline and Demand adjustments, as set out in the Application, are approved on an interim and refundable basis, effective June 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020, or until further BCUC order.

2.       A regulatory timetable for the review of the Application is attached as Appendix A to this Order.

3.       Any party wishing to provide comments on the Application should provide its submission to the BCUC in writing, with a copy to BC Hydro, by Tuesday, June 9, 2020. Letters of comment must be in the Letter of Comment Form available on the BCUC’s website at https://www.bcuc.com/forms/letter-of-comment.aspx.

4.       The BCUC will hold confidential the baseline load tables in the Application as they contain commercially sensitive information.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                  10^th                day of June 2020.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

B. A. Magnan

Commissioner

 

 

 

Catalyst Paper Corporation

Short Notice Request to Reduce RS1893 Baselines at Catalyst Paper