Orders

ORDER NUMBER

R-23-22

 

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 July 29, 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);

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

C.       On June 25, 2021, BC Hydro filed, in the PC Assessment Report Proceeding, 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 Mandatory Reliability Standard (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.      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;

E.       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;

F.       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;

G.      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 (Transmission Planner Mapping), 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);

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

I.         On June 6, 2022, the BCUC issued a letter to the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC), as its Administrator for the MRS Program, requesting the filing of a written update as to its approach and timeline for completing the Transmission Planner Mapping;

J.        On June 6, 2022, WECC filed its response with a timeline of the Transmission Planner Mapping;

K.       On June 27, 2022, Interveners filed responses to the initial Intervener Submissions. The Interveners agreed that the Transmission Planner Mapping should occur prior to addressing the PC Issues;

L.        On July 8, 2022, BC Hydro submitted a letter stating that it has rejected 15 Entities that have mapped to BC Hydro as a Transmission Planner;

M.    On July 15, 2022, WECC submitted the results of the Transmission Planner Mapping in a report to the BCUC (TP Report). The TP Report identifies gaps with Entities’ having no functional relationships to a registered Transmission Planner, specifically with BC Hydro, which could result in failure to coordinate and exchange planning information as specified in the adopted Reliability Standards; and

N.      The BCUC has reviewed BC Hydro’s submissions and the TP Report and determines that the establishment of a further amended regulatory timetable is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders the following:

1.       The regulatory timetable is amended as set out in Appendix A to this Order (Regulatory Timetable).

2.       The gaps identified in the TP Report will be the next phase to be considered in this proceeding.

3.       Intervener registration will be extended as specified in the Regulatory Timetable.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this       29^th         day of July 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