Orders

 

ORDER NUMBER

F-36-22

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

FortisBC Energy Inc.

Stage 2 Comprehensive Review and Application for Approval of a Revised Renewable Gas Program

Interim Participant Assistance/Cost Award Application

 

BEFORE:

D. M. Morton, Panel Chair

D. A. Cote, Commissioner

R. I. Mason, Commissioner

 

on December 21, 2022

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On December 17, 2021, in accordance with British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) Orders G-35-21 and G-242-21, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) filed its Stage 2 Comprehensive Review and Application for Approval of a Revised Renewable Gas Program (Application);

B.      By Orders G-3-22, G-103-22 and G-165-22A, the BCUC established and amended  regulatory timetables for the review of the Application, which included, among other things, a procedural conference, two rounds of BCUC and intervener information requests (IRs), notices of intent to file intervener evidence, intervener evidence with one round of IRs on that evidence, FEI rebuttal evidence and one round of IRs on that evidence, and written final and reply arguments;

C.      On January 31, 2022, BrightSide Solutions Inc. (BrightSide) filed a Request to Intervene in the FEI BERC Rate Methodology Application Stage 2 Review proceeding;

D.      On November 16, 2022, the BCUC received an application from BrightSide for interim Participant Assistance / Cost Award (PACA) funding (Interim PACA Application). Brightside seeks $11,396.00 in interim PACA funding based on 50% of its budget;

E.       By letter dated December 12, 2022, FEI submitted that it has no further comment in respect of the interim PACA application if the BCUC is satisfied that the participant has met the eligibility requirements, that the funding days claimed are appropriate, and that the level of participation has met with the BCUC’s criteria and requirements; and

F.       The BCUC has received the Interim PACA Application in accordance with the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines attached to Order G-97-17, and determines that an interim cost award should be granted as an advance against the BCUC’s final cost award determination.

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

 

1.       Interim funding in the listed amount is awarded to BrightSide as an advance against the BCUC’s final cost award for participation in the FEI BERC Rate Methodology Application Stage 2 Review proceeding:

 

2.       FEI is directed to reimburse the above noted participants for the awarded amounts in a timely manner.

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this           21^st            day of December 2022.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

D. M. Morton

Commissioner