ORDER NUMBER
C-6-22
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
Application for Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Bridge River Projects:
Bridge River 1 Units 1 to 4 Generator Replacement Project
BEFORE:
R. I. Mason, Panel Chair
C. M. Brewer, Commissioner
A. C. Dennier, Commissioner
on October 11, 2022
CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY
WHEREAS:
A. On July 23, 2021, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) pursuant to sections 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) for the Bridge River 1 Units 1 to 4 Generator Replacement Project (BR1 Project) and a CPCN for the Bridge River Transmission Project (BRT Project) (together, Application);
B. In the Application, BC Hydro requests approval for:
a. The BR1 Project to replace aging generating equipment within the Bridge River 1 Generating Station; and
b. The BRT Project to increase the maximum capacity of the 2L90 circuit and to refurbish existing circuit infrastructure;
C. In the Application, BC Hydro requests that certain information in the Application and several Appendices be held confidential due to the commercially sensitive nature of the information, in accordance with Part IV of the BCUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure. BC Hydro requests confidentiality for errata to the Application and certain confidential Appendices, along with responses to confidential Information Requests (IRs) (together, Confidential Information);
D. By Orders G-253-21, G-291-21, G-319-21, G-38-22, G-94-22 and G-137-22, the BCUC established and amended the regulatory timetable for the review of the Application, which included, among other things, public notice, three rounds of IRs, submissions on further process, one round of Panel IRs and final and reply arguments;
E. By January 7, 2022, British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al., BC Sustainable Energy Association, BC Solar and Storage Industries Association, Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia, Residential Consumer Intervener Association and St’át’imc Chiefs Council registered as interveners in the proceeding; and
F. The BCUC has considered the Application, evidence and submissions in this proceeding and finds that public convenience and necessity require that the BR1 Project proceed and the following determinations to be warranted.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to sections 45 to 46 of the Utilities Commission Act and for the reasons set out in the Decision issued concurrently with this order, the BCUC orders as follows:
1. A CPCN is granted to BC Hydro for the BR1 Project subject to the following conditions:
a. Consistent with BC Hydro commitments to the St’át’imc Nation, with respect to in-season flow management decisions to facilitate the construction of the BR1 Project, BC Hydro shall work with the Joint Planning Forum consistent with the mutually agreed to Terms of Reference established between BC Hydro and the St’át’imc Authority and give due consideration to water level and flow impacts and water needs related to: Fish and fish habitat; Wildlife and wildlife habitat; Soil erosion; St’át’imc use of the land and resources in the area; and St’át’imc cultural activities in the area; and
b. Consistent with BC Hydro’s commitments to the St’át’imc Nation, BC Hydro, in collaboration with the Tsal’alh and SCC, will make best efforts to ensure compliance, monitoring and enforcement of the Bridge River Contract Worker Conduct Requirements and the Bridge River Internal Review Procedure for Code of Conduct Violations.
2. BC Hydro is directed to file BR1 Project reports as outlined in Appendix A to the Decision.
3. BC Hydro is directed to comply with all the directives outlined in the Decision issued concurrently with this order.
4. The Confidential Information will be held confidential until the BCUC determines otherwise.
5. Further process for the BRT Project to be determined.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 11th day of October 2022.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
R. I. Mason
Commissioner