Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-361-21

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

Hemlock Utility Services Ltd.

Investigation into the Safety and Reliability of Hemlock Utility Services

BEFORE:

C. M. Brewer, Panel Chair

A. K. Fung, QC, Commissioner

E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner

on December 7, 2021

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On December 14, 2020, Hemlock Utility Services Ltd. (Hemlock) filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) an application to revise Section 19 (Liability of the Company re: Service) of its Electric Tariff Terms and Conditions. Hemlock proposed to include further liability provisions with respect to its supply of electricity to customers (Application);

B.      By Order G-153-21 dated May 21, 2021, the BCUC approved, among other things, Hemlock’s Application to include further liability provisions with respect to its supply of electricity to its customers;

C.      In the accompanying Reasons for Decision to Order G-153-21, the Panel identified a number of operational concerns including, but not limited to, issues related to the safety and reliability of the Hemlock system.
The Panel recommended that the BCUC initiate a separate proceeding to conduct a fulsome review of the safety and reliability of Hemlock’s electrical distribution system;

D.      By Order G-201-21, dated June 30, 2021, the BCUC ordered a hearing to review the safety and reliability of Hemlock’s electrical distribution system and system assets and customer service-related issues and established a regulatory timetable for the investigation (Proceeding), which included public notice, Letters of Comment, BCUC scoping questions, Intervener registration and Hemlock’s responses to Letters of Comment, with further process to be determined;

E.       On July 30, 2021, Hemlock provided its written response to BCUC scoping questions;

F.       On August 4, 2021, the Residential Consumer Intervener Association (RCIA) registered as an intervener in the Proceeding;

G.      On August 10, 2021, by Order G-239-21, the BCUC amended the regulatory timetable to include, among other things, BCUC and intervener information requests (IRs) and directed Hemlock to provide public notice of the order and amended regulatory timetable to its utility customers as an enclosure to their next billing statements;

H.      On August 24, 2021, the BCUC issued IR No. 1 to Hemlock, and on September 2, 2021, RCIA submitted
IR No. 1 to Hemlock;

I.         By Order G-276-21, dated September 21, 2021, the BCUC amended the regulatory timetable to provide Hemlock with additional time to respond to IR No. 1 and extended the deadline to provide Letters of Comment;

J.        On October 1, 2021, Hemlock provided its response to RCIA IR No. 1 and BCUC IR No. 1;

K.       On October 15, 2021, Hemlock provided supplemental responses to BCUC IR No. 1; and

L.       The Panel has reviewed the evidence to date and determines that an amendment to the regulatory timetable is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:

1.       The regulatory timetable established by Order G-276-21, is amended, as set out in Appendix A to this order.

2.       Hemlock must provide notice of this order and cover letter in a clearly visible location on the homepage of its website by Tuesday, December 14, 2021.

3.       Hemlock is directed to provide a copy of this order and regulatory timetable, electronically where possible, to all of the utility’s customers, the Hemlock Valley Homeowners Association, and all band offices for First Nation communities located fully or partially within Hemlock’s service area, by Tuesday, December 14, 2021.  

4.       Hemlock and registered interveners are expected to fully participate in the workshop, scheduled for Thursday, January 13, 2022 commencing at 1:00 p.m. PST.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                7^th            day of December 2021.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

C. M. Brewer

Commissioner

Attachment

Hemlock Utility Services Ltd.

Investigation into the Safety and Reliability of Hemlock Utility Services