Orders

ORDER NUMBER

C-2-21

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

FortisBC Energy Inc.

Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity

for the Pattullo Gas Line Replacement Project

BEFORE:

D. M. Morton, Panel Chair

T. A. Loski, Commissioner

R. I. Mason, Commissioner

on June 30, 2021

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On August 31, 2020, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) submitted an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) pursuant to sections 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), seeking approval of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for the Pattullo Gas Line Replacement (PGR) Project (Application);

B.      FEI also seeks approval of a non-rate base deferral account pursuant to sections 59 to 61 of the UCA, to capture the regulatory costs of this Application and the costs expended for the purpose of evaluating the feasibility and preliminary development of the Project;

C.      By Order G-232-20 dated September 11, 2020, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable for the review of the Application which consisted of an evidentiary update, intervener registration and one round of information requests (IRs);

D.      By Order G-253-20 dated October 8, 2020, the BCUC amended the regulatory timetable to allow for a second evidentiary update;

E.       By Order G-350-20, dated December 29, 2020, the BCUC amended the regulatory timetable to allow for a second round of IRs and establish dates for final and reply argument;

F.       By letter, dated April 12, 2021, the BCUC further amended the regulatory timetable to allow for a Panel IR and establish dates for supplemental final and reply argument; and

G.      The BCUC has reviewed the evidence and submissions in this proceeding and finds that certain approvals are warranted.

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to sections 45 to 46 and 59 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act and for the reasons set out in the Decision issued concurrently with this order, the British Columbia Utilities Commission orders as follows:

1. FEI is granted a CPCN for the PGR Project.
2. FEI is approved to establish the PGR Project Application and Preliminary Stage Development Costs deferral account to record the Application and preliminary stage development costs to be amortized over three years commencing January 1, 2022.
3. FEI is directed to comply with all the directives outlined in Section 10 of the Decision issued concurrently with this order.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this            30^th          day of June 2021.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

D. M. Morton

Commissioner