Orders

ORDER NUMBER

F-28-22A

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

British Columbia Utilities Commission Inquiry into the Acquisition of
Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) by Public Utilities in British Columbia

Participant Assistance/Cost Award Application

 

BEFORE:

D. M. Morton, Panel Chair

R. I. Mason, Commissioner

A. Pape-Salmon, Commissioner

 

on October 27, 2022

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      By letter dated December 22, 2021, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) established an Inquiry into the Acquisition of Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) by Public Utilities in British Columbia (Inquiry) and invited parties to provide submissions as laid out in the letter;

B.      Submissions were received from Movement of United Professionals (MoveUP); Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia (CEC); Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. (PNG); B.C. Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA); Canadian Biogas Association (CBA); FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI); and Residential Consumer Intervener Association (RCIA);

C.      By letter dated February 11, 2022, the BCUC provided the opportunity to file reply submissions, which were received by MoveUp, CEC, PNG, BCSEA, FEI and RCIA;

D.      On May 20, 2022, the BCUC issued the Draft Phase 1 Report and by Order G-144-22, established a regulatory timetable which, among other things, sought parties’ submissions on the contents of the Draft Phase 1 Report and responses to specific questions;

E.       By June 6, 2022, MoveUp, PNG, BCSEA, FEI and the RCIA filed their submissions on the Draft Phase 1 Report. On June 20, 2022, BCSEA filed its reply submission;

F.       By Order G-173-22, dated June 24, 2022, the BCUC adjourned the Inquiry;

G.      On July 28, 2022, the BCUC issued the Final Phase 1 Report, accompanied with Decision and Order G-212-22;

H.      The following participants filed Participation Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) applications with the BCUC:

 

I.         As this Inquiry was initiated prior to June 30, 2022, the PACA Guidelines attached to Order G-97-17 apply to this Inquiry;

J.        Section 4.3 of the PACA Guidelines provides that the BCUC, in determining the amount of a participant’s cost award, may consider, among other things, whether the costs incurred are fair and reasonable;

K.       MoveUp’s PACA application includes 0.7 hours spent to prepare and file its PACA application; and

L.       The BCUC has reviewed the PACA applications in accordance with the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines and determines that 0.7 hours incurred by MoveUp to prepare and file its PACA application is excluded as an improper cost for PACA reimbursement and that the following cost awards should therefore be approved.

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 118(1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the BCUC orders as follows:

 

1.       Funding is awarded in full to the following parties in the listed amounts for their participation in the Inquiry:

 

2.    MoveUp is awarded the following:

 

3.    The BCUC is to reimburse the above-noted participants for the awarded amount in a timely manner.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this               1^st          day of November 2022.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

D. M. Morton

Commissioner