Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-290-21

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

Stargas Utilities Ltd.

Natural Gas Purchase Plan and Commodity Rate Application

Effective November 1, 2021

 

BEFORE:

T. A. Loski, Panel Chair

A. C. Dennier, Commissioner

A. Pape-Salmon, Commissioner

 

October 8, 2021

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On September 15, 2021, Stargas Utilities Ltd. (Stargas) filed an application under Section 71 and Section 61(4) of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) seeking approval of its natural gas purchase plan for the contract year from November 1, 2021, to October 31, 2022, and approval to increase the commodity rate from $5.82 per gigajoule (GJ) to $8.17 per GJ, or approximately 40 percent, effective November 1, 2021 (Application);

B.      By Order G-133-21 dated May 3, 2021, the BCUC accepted Stargas’ previous Natural Gas Purchase Plan, denied Stargas’ request to amortize the Gas Cost Variance Account balance over a 12-month period (Nov 1, 2020 – Oct 31, 2021) by including $1.24 per GJ in the proposed commodity rate and approved an increase in the gas commodity rate charged to Stargas customers from $3.98 per GJ to $5.82 per GJ, effective November 1, 2020;

C.      By letter dated October 6, 2021, Stargas filed, on a confidential basis, an update to the Application requesting acceptance of a gas supply contract with Shell Energy North America Inc.;

D.      Stargas requests that Exhibits B-1, B-3, B-3-1, B-3-2, B-4 and B-5 of the Application remain confidential due to their commercially sensitive nature; and

E.       The BCUC has determined that the establishment of a regulatory timetable is warranted for the review of the Application.

 

 

NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to sections 59 to 61 and 89 of the UCA, the BCUC orders as follows:

 

1.       Stargas’ request to increase the commodity rate from $5.82 per GJ to $8.17 per GJ is approved on an interim and refundable basis, effective November 1, 2021.

2.       Any variance between approved interim rates and permanent rates as determined at the time the BCUC renders its final decision on the Application will be refunded to or collected from ratepayers, with interest at the average prime rate of Stargas’ principal bank for the most recent year.

3.       A public hearing process is established in accordance with the regulatory timetable, as set out in Appendix A to this order.

4.       Stargas is directed to file with the BCUC, within 10 business days of the issuance of this order, amended Tariff pages in accordance with the terms of this order.

5.       In accordance with the BCUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure attached as Appendix B to Order G-15-19, parties who wish to comment on the Application may submit a Letter of Comment or register as an interested party. Parties who wish to submit a letter of comment may do so by no later than Friday, November 12, 2021. Letters of Comment must be in the Letter of Comment Form available on the BCUC’s website, or by mail to the BCUC, Suite 410, 900 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC  V6Z 2N3.

6.       Stargas is directed to provide the public notice, attached as Appendix B to this order, and a copy of this order to registered interveners in the FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) and Stargas Application for Approval of an Asset Disposition and a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to Facilitate the Transfer of Natural Gas Utility Assets from Stargas to FEI, and to all affected customers using communication methods including Stargas’ website and the Silver Star Resort centres, no later than Friday, October 15, 2021.

7.       The BCUC approves Stargas’ request to hold Exhibits B-1, B-3, B-3-1, B-3-2, B-4 and B-5 of the Application confidential, until determined otherwise, since they contain commercially sensitive materials.

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                8^th           day of October 2021.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

T. A. Loski

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

 

 

Stargas Utilities Ltd.

Natural Gas Purchase Plan and Commodity Rate Application

 

 

 

 

STARGAS NATURAL GAS PURCHASE PLAN AND COMMODITY RATE APPLICATION

On September 15, 2021, Stargas Utilities Ltd. filed an application to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) seeking approval of its natural gas purchase plan for the contract year from November 1, 2021, to October 31, 2022, and approval to increase the commodity rate from $5.82 per GJ to $8.17 per GJ, or approximately 40 percent, effective November 1, 2021.

 

For more information about the Application, please visit the Proceeding Webpage on bcuc.com under “Our Work – Proceedings”. To learn more about getting involved, please visit our website at https://www.bcuc.com/GetInvolved/GetInvolvedProceeding or contact us at the information below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GET MORE INFORMATION
Stargas Utilities Ltd. 1960 KLO Road, Unit 17 Kelowna, BC  V1W 5L2   E: info@stargas.ca   P: 250.763.6717	British Columbia Utilities Commission Suite 410, 900 Howe Street Vancouver, BC Canada  V6Z 2N3   E: Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com   P: 604.660.4700