ORDER NUMBER
G-21-22
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. and Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd.
Request to Cease Monthly Reporting Requirements for the COVID-19 Deferral Accounts
BEFORE:
B. A. Magnan, Commissioner
on February 1, 2022
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On November 15, 2021, Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. and Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. (collectively PNG), filed its monthly COVID-19 Deferral Account compliance report (Compliance Report) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC), and included a request to cease the reporting requirements for the COVID-19 Deferral Accounts (Accounts), with the final Compliance Report for December 31, 2021, due in January 2022 (Application). The Application to discontinue reporting would vary Directive 3 of each of BCUC Orders G-146-20 and G-147-20, respectively;
B. On June 10, 2020, the BCUC issued Orders G-146-20 and G-147-20 to PNG, approving the joint application for the creation of the Accounts and amongst other things, directed PNG to file monthly Compliance Reports with the BCUC on the status of the Accounts. The Compliance Report included the total number of customers that have applied for and the total number of customers that have been accepted to the bill payment deferral program, the total amount of bill payments deferred as part of the program, by rate class; and the balance of the Accounts;
C. On June 30, 2020, in compliance with BCUC Orders G-146-20 and G-147-20, PNG filed its first monthly Compliance Report and continued to submit monthly reports, with the most recent and proposed final Compliance Report filed on January 28, 2022;
D. In the Application, PNG noted that its intention is to start amortizing the Accounts balances in 2022. The proposal to amortize the Deferral Account will be explored in the 2022 Revenue Requirements Application;
E. The BCUC has reviewed the Application and has determined a variance
to Directive 3 of each of Orders
G-146-20 and G-147-20, is warranted.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 99 of the Utilities Commission Act, the BCUC orders that PNG’s request to cease filing its monthly Compliance Report for the Accounts, and thus a variance to Directive 3 to each of Orders G-146-20 and Order G-147-20, is approved.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 1st day of February 2022.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
B. A. Magnan
Commissioner