Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-244-20

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

FortisBC Energy Inc.

Application for Approval of Amendments to Rate Schedule 6P – Public Service – Natural Gas Refueling Service Tariff and Rates Effective July 31, 2020

BEFORE:

W.M. Everett, QC, Commissioner

B.A. Magnan, Commissioner

R. I. Mason, Commissioner

on September 30, 2020

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On July 9, 2020, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC), pursuant to sections 59 to 61 and 89 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), for approval of amendments to Rate Schedule 6P – Public Service – Natural Gas Refueling Service (RS 6P), on an interim and permanent basis, effective July 31, 2020 (Application);

B.      On March 1, 2019, FEI and Environmental 360 Solutions Ltd. (E360S) entered into a Fueling Equipment Licence and Use Agreement (E360S Agreement) which established the terms, conditions and rates for E360S to receive Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling service from the CNG station located on E360S’s property in Kelowna, BC (E360S Fueling Station). On May 21, 2019, FEI and E360S entered into the Amending Agreement to the E360S Agreement that revised the rates based on the addition of a capital contribution from E360S and a third-party capital contribution from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) (Amending Agreement No. 1);

C.      By Order G-237-19 dated September 30, 2019, the BCUC determined that the E360S Fueling Station met the requirements for a prescribed undertaking as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Clean Energy) Regulation (GGRR), and approved on an interim and refundable basis the rate design and rates established in the E360S Agreement and as amended by Amending Agreement No. 1, effective October 1, 2019. The Order also directed FEI to file an application seeking permanent rates, upon the determination of the actual capital expenditures for the E360S Fueling Station;

D.      By Order G-195-20 dated July 21, 2020, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable for the review of the Application, which included one round of BCUC information requests (IR) and further process to be determined;

E.       By Order G-199-20 dated July 23, 2020, the BCUC approved further amendments to the E360S Agreement (Amending Agreement No. 2) to enable public fueling service at the E360S Fueling Station pursuant to sections 59 to 61 and 89 of the UCA on an interim basis, effective July 31, 2020;

F.       By letter dated July 24, 2020, FEI requested an extension to August 14, 2020 to file responses to the IRs. In that letter, FEI responded to the BCUC’s IRs related to safety and interim rates;

G.     By Order G-200-20 dated July 27, 2020, the BCUC approved the proposed amendments and rates to RS 6P as set out in the Application on an interim and non-refundable basis, effective July 31, 2020. The order also amended the regulatory timetable to extend the filing date of the IR responses to August 14, 2020;

H.      By Order G-236-20 dated September 16, 2020, the BCUC approved proposed amendments to RS 6P as set out in attachment 2.10 of the IR responses provided by FEI on August 14, 2020 and further amended the regulatory timetable to include a second round of BCUC IRs;

I.        By letter dated September 29, 2020, FEI requested an extension to October 7, 2020 to file responses to the IRs due to resource constraints; and

J.        The BCUC has reviewed FEI’s request and considers that an amendment to the regulatory timetable is warranted. 

NOW THEREFORE, the BCUC orders the regulatory timetable established by Order G-236-20, is amended as set out in Appendix A to this order.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this            30th         day of September 2020.

BY ORDER

Original Signed By:

W. M. Everett, QC

Commissioner

Attachment

FortisBC Energy Inc.

Application for Approval of Amendments to Rate Schedule 6P – Public Service – Natural Gas Refueling Service Tariff and Rates Effective July 31, 2020