ORDER NUMBER
G-278-20
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd.
Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
To Implement Automated Meter Reading Infrastructure
BEFORE:
W. M. Everett, QC, Panel Chair
C. Brewer, Commissioner
R. I. Mason, Commissioner
on November 2, 2020
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On March 25, 2020, Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. (PNG(NE)) filed an application (Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) seeking a Certification of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) pursuant to sections 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) for the implementation of Automated Meter Reading (AMR) Infrastructure in its service areas (the AMR Project);
B. On April 9, 2020, by Order G-86-20, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable for the initial review of the Application, which provided for, among other things, provision of public notice, a round of BCUC Information Requests (IR), PNG(NE) responses to IRs, and intervener registration.
C. British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization, Active Support Against Poverty, Disability Alliance BC, Council of Senior Citizens’ Organizations of BC, and Tenants Resource and Advisory Centre (collectively, BCOAPO et al.) registered as an intervener in the proceeding.
D. On June 24, 2020, by Order G-169-20, the BCUC amended the regulatory timetable, which provided for a subsequent round of IRs, final and reply arguments.
E. PNG(NE) filed its Application dated March 25, 2020, supporting documents dated April 3, 2020, and responses to BCUC IRs dated May 21 and July 21, 2020, on a non-confidential basis with the BCUC but included redacted versions requesting that certain portions of the Application, supporting documents and responses to BCUC IRs be kept confidential due to their commercially sensitive nature. The BCUC reserved its determination on the confidentiality of these documents until the reasons for its decision were issued.
F. On September 24, 2020, the BCUC issued Order C-3-20, granting the CPCN for reasons to follow.
G. On October 8, 2020, the BCUC issued Exhibit A-9 requesting PNG(NE) to provide further submissions on the reasons for the confidentiality requests in respect of Exhibits B-1-1, B-4, and B-7-1, as well as the names of the vendors it received competing proposals from regarding the purchase and installation of the AMR technology (Vendors). The BCUC did not seek submissions from PNG(NE) on the reasons for the confidentiality request in respect of Exhibit B-2-1.
H. On October 13, 2020 PNG(NE) submitted Exhibit B-9 setting out its reasons for seeking confidentiality in respect of Exhibits B-1-1, B-4 and B-7-1.
I. PNG(NE) waived its request for confidentiality in respect of the names of the Vendors and provided their names to the BCUC.
J. BCOAPO et al. did not make any submissions in respect of PNG(NE)’s request for confidentiality.
K. The BCUC has considered PNG(NE)’s submissions and makes the following determination:
NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:
The request for confidentiality is granted with respect to the following:
a. Exhibits B-1-1 and B-2-1 of PNG(NE)’s application in their entirety; and
b. The redacted portions of Exhibits B-4, and B-7-1.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 2nd day of November 2020.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
W. M. Everett, QC
Commissioner