ORDER NUMBER
R-18-19
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
Notice of Compliance Violation Investigation
Pertaining to FAC-003
BEFORE:
D. M. Morton, Commissioner
on September 9, 2019
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On September 9, 2019, the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC), acting as the Administrator for the British Columbia Mandatory Reliability Standards Program (BC MRS Program), issued a Recommendation for a Compliance Violation Investigation (Recommendation) of the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) pertaining to FAC-003, to the Britsith Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC);
B. Section 125.2 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) assigns exclusive jurisdiction to the BCUC to determine whether a “reliability standard,” as defined in the UCA, is in the public interest and should be adopted in British Columbia;
C. By Order G-123-09 dated October 15, 2009, the BCUC approved the Rules of Procedure for Reliability Standards in British Columbia (BC ROP), including the Compliance Monitoring Program (CMP) appended thereto, which provides processes for monitoring compliance with reliability standards adopted by the BCUC. Most recent revisions to the CMP were approved by Order R‑40‑17, dated September 1, 2017;
D. Order G-123-09 also appointed WECC as the BCUC’s Administrator for monitoring compliance, as per section 8 of the UCA and in adherence with the ROP and CMP. The Administration Agreement between WECC and the BCUC was signed on October 8, 2009, and WECC’s role as Administrator for the BC MRS Program was renewed most recently on July 5, 2019;
E. Upon reviewing the evidence submitted by BC Hydro regarding FAC-003 vegetation-related events, WECC recommends that a Compliance Violation Investigation of BC Hydro with an onsite component is warranted. WECC makes this recommendation pursuant to Section 2.4 of the BCUC Compliance Monitoring Program, Appendix 2 of the BCUC ROP; and
F. The BCUC reviewed the Recommendation and considers that a Compliance Violation Investigation of BC Hydro’s compliance with FAC-003 is warranted.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to part 8 of the UCA and in accordance with the CMP, the BCUC approves the Compliance Violation Investigation of BC Hydro with an onsite component as recommended by WECC.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 9th day of September 2019.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
David Morton
Commissioner