ORDER NUMBER
F-29-20
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
Transmission Service Market Reference‑Priced Rates Application
Interim Participant Assistance/Cost Award Application
BEFORE:
T. A. Loski, Panel Chair
A. K. Fung, QC, Commissioner
E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner
on August 13, 2020
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On October 31, 2019, the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) seeking approval of an amended Freshet Rate (Rate Schedule 1892) and approval of a new optional rate, the Incremental Energy Rate (IER, Rate Schedule 1893), pursuant to sections 58 to 60 of the Utilities Commission Act (Application);
B. By Orders G-327-19, G-49-20, G-111-20, G-136-20, and G-179-20, the BCUC established and amended the regulatory timetable for the review of the Application, which includes four rounds of information requests to BC Hydro and final arguments from BC Hydro and interveners for each of the two approvals sought in the Application;
C. On July 8, 2020, the Association of Major Power Customers of BC (AMPC) filed an application for interim Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) funding, pursuant to Section 5.0 of the PACA Guidelines established by Order G-97-17 (PACA Application). On July 20, 2020 and July 23, 2020, AMPC submitted additional information and revised its PACA Application (Revised PACA Application);
D.
In the Revised PACA Application, AMPC requests an
interim PACA funding award of $12,586.00, which is
50 percent of AMPC’s budget estimate. AMPC also requests that the BCUC
designate its interim PACA funding award as relating to costs already incurred because
AMPC has already incurred more than $12,586.00 in costs;
E. Section 5.0 of the PACA Guidelines sets out the criteria for interim funding. Section 5.1 states that the BCUC will consider eligibility and amount for interim funding applications by applying Section 3.0 and Section 4.0, and the BCUC must be satisfied that:
(a) the participant has demonstrated a need for financial assistance; and
(b) the proceeding is lengthy;
F. In its PACA Applications, AMPC submits that its members are seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and PACA funding is essential to support intervener participation. In AMPC’s view, the current proceeding is lengthy due to the expanded procedural schedule which has resulted in legal and consultant costs beyond AMPC’s budget;
G. On July 23, 2020, in response to the BCUC’s request to comment, BC Hydro indicates that AMPC’s cost claims are consistent with the PACA Guidelines and that AMPC contributed towards a better understanding of the proceeding; and
H. The Panel has reviewed the Revised PACA Application and the associated documents in accordance with the criteria set out in the PACA Guidelines. The Panel considers that an interim cost award is warranted at this time, pending a review of final PACA applications for the proceeding.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 118(1) of the UCA, the BCUC orders as follows:
1. An interim cost award to AMPC in the amount of $12,586.00 is awarded as an advance against the BCUC’s final cost award determination after the conclusion of the proceeding.
2. BC Hydro is directed to pay AMPC the amount of the interim cost award in a timely manner.
3. AMPC must file a final cost award application in accordance with Section 5.6 of the PACA Guidelines. Any variance between the interim and final cost award to AMPC will be refunded to or collected from BC Hydro at the time the BCUC renders its final decision on the PACA applications for the proceeding.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 13th day of August 2020.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
T. A. Loski
Commissioner