Orders

ORDER NUMBER

E-31-20

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

Pacific Northern Gas Ltd.

Gas Supply Contracting Report for

November 2020 to October 2021

BEFORE:

B. A. Magnan, Panel Chair

C. Brewer, Commissioner

T. A. Loski, Commissioner

R. I. Mason, Commissioner

on December 18, 2020

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On November 18, 2020, pursuant to section 71 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. (PNG) filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) an application to accept natural gas contracts for the period November 1, 2020 to October 31, 2021 (Application);

B.      By Order G-130-06 dated October 26, 2006, the BCUC approved Rules for Natural Gas Energy Supply Contracts (Rules). Appendix A of Order G-130-06 contains the Rules, which are intended to facilitate the BCUC’s review of natural gas energy supply contracts, pursuant to section 71 of the UCA;

C.      By Letter L-48-20 dated July 16, 2020, the BCUC accepted a confidential filing from Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. and Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. (altogether PNG) of an Annual Contracting Plan for the period
November 1, 2020 to October 31, 2021 (2020-21 ACP) as in the public interest, and with respect to the
PNG-West, Fort St. John/Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge service areas;

D.      PNG has requested that details of the filing be kept confidential for reasons of commercial sensitivity and submits that disclosure of this information may adversely affect PNG’s ability to secure the most competitively priced gas supply arrangements in the future; and

E.       The BCUC has reviewed the natural gas supply contracts, as shown in Appendix A to this order, and is satisfied that they are appropriate considering market conditions at the time they were negotiated, consistent with the 2020-21 ACP, and in the public interest.

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 71 of the UCA and the BCUC Rules for Natural Gas Energy Supply Contracts:

1.       The BCUC accepts the natural gas contracts executed in Appendix A as filed.

2.       The BCUC will keep the Application and associated documents confidential due to their commercially sensitive nature.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this             18^th           day of December 2020.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

B. A. Magnan

Commissioner

Attachment

Pacific Northern Gas Ltd.

Gas Supply Contracting Report for

November 2020 to October 2021