Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-257-20

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

FortisBC Energy Inc.

Application for Approval of the System Extension Fund on a Permanent Basis

BEFORE:

K. A. Keilty, Panel Chair

M. Kresivo, QC, Commissioner

B. A. Magnan, Commissioner

on October 14, 2020

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On June 29, 2020, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for approval of the System Extension Fund (SEF) on a permanent basis, pursuant to sections 29, 30 and 59 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act, effective January 1, 2021, including an amendment to the SEF funding rules (Application);

B.      By Order G-147-16 dated September 16, 2016 and accompanying decision in FEI’s 2015 System Extension Application, FEI established the SEF pilot program, providing funding of a maximum of 50 percent of the Contribution in Aid of Construction (CIAC) for prospective new residential customers, from January 1, 2017 until December 31, 2020;

C.      In the Application, FEI proposes to amend the funding rules for the SEF framework to increase the SEF funding from a maximum of 50 percent to a maximum of 95 percent of the CIAC for prospective new residential customers. FEI proposes that all other aspects of the SEF framework and funding rules as a permanent program remain the same as the SEF pilot program;

D.      By Order G-198-20 dated July 22, 2020, the BCUC established a public hearing and regulatory timetable for review of the Application, consisting of one round of BCUC and intervener information requests, followed by final and reply arguments;

E.       On October 8, 2020, in accordance with the regulatory timetable, FEI submitted its Final Argument. On October 13, 2020, FEI submitted a revision to Exhibit B-5 and a revision to its Final Argument; and

F.       The Panel has reviewed the evidence and considers that an amendment to the regulatory timetable is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders that the regulatory timetable is amended, as set out in Appendix A to this order.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this               14th                  day of October 2020.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

K. A. Keilty

Commissioner

Attachments

FortisBC Energy Inc.

Application for Approval of the System Extension Fund on a Permanent Basis