Orders

ORDER NUMBER

R-21-22

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

British Columbia Utilities Commission

Mandatory Reliability Standards Planning Coordinator Function Registration

and Planning Coordinator Issues

 

BEFORE:

A. K. Fung, QC, Panel Chair

C. M. Brewer, Commissioner

W. M. Everett, QC, Commissioner

 

on June 6, 2022

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      By Order R-8-22 dated March 14, 2022, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) established a regulatory timetable for a proceeding to review the Planning Coordinator (PC) Function Registration and Planning Coordinator Issues brought forward by the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) and interveners registered in the currently adjourned Assessment Report Proceeding for Reliability Standards applicable to the PC function (PC Assessment Report Proceeding). The regulatory timetable in the PC Registration and PC Issues Proceeding included intervener registration and a procedural conference;

B.      On May 31, 2021, BC Hydro)submitted to the BCUC a Mandatory Reliability Standards (MRS) Planning Coordinator Assessment Report (PC Assessment Report);

C.      On June 25, 2021, BC Hydro filed its proposed implementation approach (Implementation Approach) providing information regarding its anticipated timing to register as a PC for its own Bulk Power Electric System assets only and to engage other entities registered in the British Columbia MRS Program (Entities) that are interconnected to the BC Hydro system on the potential for BC Hydro to provide PC service to those Entities;

D.      By Order R-15-21, dated July 14, 2021, the BCUC issued in the PC Assessment Report Proceeding a regulatory timetable for review of the PC Assessment Report and established a public written comment process;

E.       BC Hydro made a submission, in the PC Assessment Report Proceeding, recommending the PC Assessment Report Proceeding be adjourned and a new proceeding be established to address whether a single-PC model or multi-PC model is desirable in the province and to identify the appropriate Entity or Entities to register as PC(s) (PC Issues). Interveners in the PC Assessment Report Proceeding agreed that the BCUC should suspend the proceeding to review the PC Assessment Report and establish a new proceeding to address the PC Issues;

F.       By Order R-4-22 dated January 26, 2022, the BCUC adjourned the PC Assessment Report Proceeding and recommended the initiation of this separate proceeding to review the PC) Function Registration and PC Issues;

G.      By Order G-123-09, the BCUC appointed the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) as its Administrator for registration and monitoring compliance pursuant to section 8 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA). WECC’s role as Administrator for the BC MRS Program is pursuant to the Administration Agreement between WECC and the BCUC signed on October 8, 2009, and renewed on July 5, 2019;

H.      On February 4, 2022, BC Hydro filed a progress update on its Implementation Approach, stating that it had completed the first phase of the Implementation Approach but was unable to amend its existing MRS program registration to request registration as a PC for its own Bulk Power Electric System assets because the WECC registration system does not allow for such amendments (BC Hydro Progress Update). On March 2, 2022, the BCUC acknowledged receipt of the BC Hydro Progress Update;

I.         On March 18, 2022, the BCUC requested WECC’s response to the BC Hydro Progress Update. On April 1, 2022, WECC submitted its response;

J.        FortisBC Inc. (FBC), BC Hydro, Movement of United Professionals (MOVEUP), Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia (CEC) and Residential Consumer Intervener Association (RCIA) have registered as interveners (collectively Interveners) in this proceeding to review the PC Function Registration and PC Issues;

K.       On April 28, 2022, the BCUC issued a letter to Interveners amending the regulatory timetable established by Order R-8-22 and requested written submissions regarding the Transmission Planner mapping exercise, BC Hydro’s current status as a PC in the province, considerations for actions by BC Hydro related to its registration as a PC and proposals for further regulatory process including the need for a procedural conference (Intervener Request);

L.       On May 19, 2022, each of FBC, BC Hydro, CEC and RCIA filed responses to the Intervener Request (Intervener Submissions);

M.    On May 25, 2022, the BCUC issued notice to Interveners that the procedural conference scheduled for June 3, 2022 is cancelled;

N.      On June 6, 2022, the BCUC issued a letter to WECC requesting the filing of a written update as to its approach and timeline for completing the Transmission Planning mapping exercise; and

O.      Following review of Intervener Submissions the BCUC determines that the establishment of a further egulatory timetable is warranted in this proceeding.

 

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders the following:

1.    The regulatory timetable in this proceeding is amended as set out in Appendix A to this Order.

2.    Interveners will have the opportunity to respond to other Intervener Submissions by the deadline specified in the further regulatory timetable set out in Appendix A to this Order.

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                6^th            day of June 2022.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

A. K. Fung, QC

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

British Columbia Utilities Commission

Mandatory Reliability Standards Planning Coordinator Function Registration

and Planning Coordinator Issues