Orders

ORDER NUMBER

R-24-21

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Mandatory Reliability Standard Planning Coordinator Assessment Report

BEFORE:

A. K. Fung, QC, Panel Chair

C. M. Brewer, Commissioner

W. M. Everett, QC, Commissioner

on October 21, 2021

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On May 31, 2021, pursuant to section 125.2(3) of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) submitted to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) a Mandatory Reliability Standards (MRS) Planning Coordinator Assessment Report (PC Assessment Report) assessing 12 reliability standards and one retired reliability standard. All the reliability standards assessed in the PC Assessment Report are related to the Planning Coordinator (PC) function and are currently held in abeyance in British Columbia (BC). In the PC Assessment Report, BC Hydro also assessed four defined terms in the North American Electric Reliability Corporation Glossary of Terms dated October 8, 2020 (NERC Glossary) that are currently held in abeyance in BC. BC Hydro also proposed filing its plan for implementation of the PC function by June 25, 2021 (Implementation Approach);

B.      By BCUC Orders R-41-13, R-32-14, R-38-15, R-32-16, R-39-17, R-33-18 and R-19-20, reliability standards applicable to the PC function were held in abeyance and had no force or effect in BC;

C.      On May 26, 2021, by Order R-6-21, the BCUC accepted BC Hydro’s extension request to file the PC Assessment Report from May 1, 2021 to May 31, 2021 because four reliability standards, which are dependent on and/or require actions solely by the PC function, were approved by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) with an effective order within the period between, and including, December 1, 2019 and November 30, 2020 (Assessment Period). Subsection 3(1)(a) of the MRS Regulation requires BC Hydro to report on a reliability standard, in accordance with section 125.2(3) of the UCA, within one year of the date the reliability standard is adopted by FERC;

D.      On June 25, 2021, BC Hydro filed its proposed Implementation Approach and anticipated timing for registering as the PC and engaging other entities interconnected (Interconnected Entities) to the BC Hydro system;

E.       By Order R-15-21 dated July 14, 2021, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable for the review of the PC Assessment Report which included, among other things, intervener registration and an invitation to the public and registered entities (Entities) to comment on the PC Assessment Report and Implementation Approach;

F.       The Residential Consumer Intervener Association (RCIA), FortisBC Inc. (FBC) and the British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization, Active Support Against Poverty, Disability Alliance BC, Council of Senior Citizens’ Organizations of BC and Tenants Resources and Advisory Centre (BCOAPO) registered as interveners and filed letters of comment;

G.      By Order R-17-21 dated August 23, 2021, the BCUC issued an amended regulatory timetable;

H.      On August 23, 2021, the RCIA filed a letter of comment and, on August 26, 2021, FBC filed a letter of comment (Letters of Comment);

I.         On September 8, 2021, BC Hydro submitted to the BCUC a request for an extension for filing its Reply to the Letters of Comment from September 10, 2021 to October 8, 2021 (Extension Request);

J.        By Order R-20-19, dated September 10, 2021, the BCUC granted BC Hydro’s Extension Request and issued an amended regulatory timetable. The BCUC sought additional submissions (Additional Submissions) from the public and interveners on the following:

1.       Whether the reliability standards assessed in the PC Assessment Report should be adopted at this time, pending determination of which Registered Entities should be or are registered for the PC function in British Columbia;

2.       If the reliability standards in the PC Assessment Report should be adopted at this time, the recommended effective date(s) of those standards; and

3.       Further process, with supporting reasons, for the review of the Implementation Approach.

K.       Pursuant to Order R-20-19, BCOAPO and FBC each filed Additional Submissions on September 24, 2021, and on October 8, 2021, BC Hydro filed its Reply to the Letters of Comment and the Additional Submissions; and

L.       The BCUC has reviewed the Letters of Comment and additional submissions and BC Hydro’s Reply and considers the following determinations are warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders the following:
 

1.       The general public and Registered Entities are requested to file written submissions by November 1, 2021, on BC Hydro’s Reply to the Letters of Comment and Additional Submissions filed October 8, 2021, including whether the BCUC should suspend the current PC Assessment Report proceeding and establish a new, two-phased proceeding that addresses the PC function in BC.

2.       The regulatory timetable established by Order R-20-21 is amended as set out in Appendix A to this order.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this            21^st           day of October 2021.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

A. K. Fung, QC

Commissioner

Attachment

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Mandatory Reliability Standard Planning Coordinator Assessment Report