Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-173-20

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

COVID-19 Customer Relief Program Extension Application

BEFORE:

D. M. Morton, Panel Chair

on June 25, 2020

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On June 22, 2020, the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for its COVID-19 Customer Relief Program Extension Application (Application), pursuant to the amendment to the Direction to the BCUC Respecting COVID-19 issued by the Lieutenant Governor in Council on June 19, 2020 (Order in Council No. 319). Specifically, pursuant to sections 59 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), BC Hydro sought approval of amendments to the following Electric Tariff Supplements in order to implement extensions of BC Hydro’s COVID-19 relief measures for eligible industrial customers, as required by section 6 of Order in Council
No. 319:

                        (i)      Tariff Supplement No. 97 – RS 1823 and RS 1828 Customer Payment Plan (TS 97);

                      (ii)      Tariff Supplement No. 98 – Coal Mining Customer Payment Plan (TS 98); and

                     (iii)       Tariff Supplement No. 99 – Copper Mining Customer Payment Plan (TS 99);

B.      As a result of the COVID‑19 pandemic, in March 2020 the Government of BC declared a state of emergency and a public health emergency. The COVID‑19 pandemic has had financial impacts on BC Hydro customers due to changes in employment and businesses closures, shutdowns and curtailments. On April 1, 2020, the Government of BC announced that rate relief is to be provided to BC Hydro’s residential, small business and large industrial and mining customers impacted by the COVID‑19 pandemic;

C.      On April 2, 2020, the Lieutenant Governor in Council issued a Direction to the BCUC Respecting COVID‑19 Relief (Order in Council No. 159);

D.      On April 3, 2020, BC Hydro filed its COVID-19 Customer Relief Program Application with the BCUC, requesting approvals related to the implementation of the relief described in Order in Council No. 159. The BCUC approved the requested relief by Order G-79-20 on April 7, 2020, pursuant to Order in Council
No. 159;

E.       On June 19, 2020, Order in Council No. 159 was amended by Order in Council No. 319 (together, the Direction), both issued pursuant to section 3 of the UCA, in respect of an extension for relief required by
BC Hydro to allow for it to provide relief to certain industrial customers impacted by the COVID‑19 pandemic;

F.       The terms used in this order, unless otherwise defined within this order, have the same meaning given to them in the Direction where applicable;

G.     The BCUC reviewed and considered the Application in accordance with the Direction and considers that approval is required as directed. The BCUC has not reviewed the Application for its regulatory justification.

NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to the Direction and sections 59 to 61 of the UCA, the BCUC orders as follows:

1.       The amendments to the Electric Tariff Supplement No. 97 – RS 1823 and RS 1828 Customer Payment Plan, included with the Application as Appendix C, are approved as filed effective June 22, 2020.

2.       The amendments to the Electric Tariff Supplement No. 98 – Coal Mining Customer Payment Plan, included with the Application as Appendix D, are approved as filed effective June 22, 2020.

3.       The amendments to the Electric Tariff Supplement No. 99 – Copper Mining Customer Payment Plan, included with the Application as Appendix E, are approved as filed effective June 22, 2020.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this         25^th          day of June 2020.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

D. M. Morton

Commissioner