ORDER NUMBER
F-12-22
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
Oakridge Energy Limited Partnership
Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for a District Energy System
Participant Assistance/Cost Award Application
BEFORE:
R. I. Mason, Panel Chair
E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner
T. A. Loski, Commissioner
on March 8, 2022
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On June 1, 2021, Oakridge Energy Limited Partnership (Oakridge Energy) submitted an application to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) pursuant to sections 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) to construct and operate a district energy system (Oakridge DES) for the provision of thermal energy service to the Oakridge Centre property redevelopment (Oakridge Centre Redevelopment) in Vancouver, B.C. (Application);
B. The Oakridge Centre Redevelopment is a joint venture project between Westbank Holdings and QuadReal Property Group (collectively, the Developers);
C. Oakridge Energy is a limited partnership of entities within the Corix Group of Companies and the Creative Energy group, established to meet the thermal energy needs of the Oakridge Centre Redevelopment;
D. By Order G-194-21 dated June 24, 2021, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable for the review of the Application. The review of the Application proceeded by way of filing of further information, two rounds of information requests and final and reply arguments;
E. BC Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA) registered as a sole intervener in the proceeding;
F. On October 21, 2021, Oakridge Energy amended its approvals sought in the Application to include approval to purchase the phase 1 geo-exchange field and associated assets (Phase 1 Geo-exchange Assets) from the Developers at a cost not to exceed the net book value at the time of acquisition;
G. By Order C-2-22 dated February 15, 2022, the BCUC granted a CPCN to Oakridge Energy authorizing the construction and operation of a district energy system to provide space heating, space cooling and domestic hot water to the Oakridge Centre Redevelopment, and the purchase of the Phase 1 Geo-exchange Assets from the Developers at a cost not to exceed their net book value at the time of acquisition, subject to the term that Oakridge Energy submits to the BCUC a satisfactory purchase agreement between it and the Developers for the acquisition of the Phase 1 Geo-exchange Assets by June 30, 2022;
H. The following participant filed a Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) application with the BCUC with respect to its participation in the proceeding:
| Date |
Participant |
Application |
| January 20, 2022 |
BCSEA |
$12,560.45 |
I. By email correspondence to the BCUC dated February 24, 2022, Oakridge Energy provided its comments on the PACA application, stating that it considers the requested amount to be reasonable; and
J. The BCUC has reviewed the PACA application in accordance with the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines, attached to BCUC Order G-97-17, and determines that the cost award should be approved.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 118(1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the BCUC orders as follows:
1. Funding is awarded to the following participant in the listed amount for its participation in the proceeding:
| Participant |
Award |
| BCSEA |
$12,560.45 |
2. Oakridge Energy is directed to reimburse the above-noted participant for the awarded amount in a timely manner.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 8th day of March 2022.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
R. I. Mason
Commissioner