Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-285-21

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 Coastal Transmission System Transmission Integrity Management Capabilities Project

BEFORE:

A. K. Fung, QC, Panel Chair

C. M. Brewer, Commissioner

D. M. Morton, Commissioner

on September 28, 2021

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On February 11, 2021, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) filed an application (Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), pursuant to sections 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), for FEI’s Coastal Transmission System (CTS) Transmission Integrity Management Capabilities (TIMC) Project (CTS TIMC Project);

B.      The CTS TIMC Project includes the following:

1.       Required pipeline alterations including replacement of heavy wall segments and alterations to related facilities that are necessary to ready the 11 susceptible CTS pipelines for electro-magnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) in-line inspection (ILI); and

2.       Installation of a pressure regulating station (PRS) on a single segment of one of the pipelines where EMAT ILI is not possible;

C.      FEI also requests approval, pursuant to sections 59 to 61 of the UCA, to recover the balance of costs in the TIMC Development Cost deferral account associated with the development of the Application, estimated at $13.2 million, by amortizing the December 31, 2021 actual balance of these costs over three years;

D.      By Order G-74-21 dated March 11, 2021, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable for review of the Application;

E.       On May 13, 2021, by Exhibit A-6, the BCUC notified parties that Dynamic Risk Assessment Systems Inc. (Dynamic Risk) has been retained to produce an independent expert report for the evidentiary record in the proceeding;

F.       On May 13, 2021, FEI hosted a transcribed virtual workshop with participation by the BCUC, Dynamic Risk and registered interveners;

G.      By Order G-149-21 dated May 17, 2021, the BCUC established a further regulatory timetable which included, among other things, a round of BCUC and intervener information requests (IRs) to FEI, a round of BCUC, FEI and intervener IRs to Dynamic Risk and submissions on further process;

H.      By Order G-251-21 dated August 25, 2021, the BCUC established a further regulatory timetable which included a second round of BCUC and intervener IRs to FEI and Dynamic Risk, and final and reply arguments;

I.         On September 27, 2021, FEI filed a letter, Exhibit B-10, requesting an extension to file its responses to IR2, as well as extensions to the deadlines for final and reply arguments; and

J.        The BCUC has reviewed the evidence and submissions and considers an amendment to the regulatory timetable is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC amends the regulatory timetable as set out in Appendix A to this order.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this            28^th           day of September 2021.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

A. K. Fung, QC

Commissioner

Attachment

FortisBC Energy Inc.

Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the

Coastal Transmission System Transmission Integrity Management Capabilities Project