Orders

ORDER NUMBER

R-2-23

 

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, KC, Panel Chair

C. M. Brewer, Commissioner

W. M. Everett, KC, Commissioner

 

on January 13, 2023

 

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), Residential Consumer Intervener Association (RCIA) and Cape Scott Wind LP (CSWLP) have registered as interveners (collectively Interveners) in this proceeding to review the PC Function Registration and PC Issues;

G.      On July 15, 2022, the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) filed with the BCUC a report of the results of the Transmission Planner mapping exercise (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;

H.      By Order R-33-22 dated October 18, 2022, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable for BC Hydro written submissions, Intervener response to BC Hydro written submissions and BC Hydro reply to Intervener response regarding why BC Hydro should not be the Transmission Planner (TP) for Entities interconnected to its transmission system and the risks to the bulk electric system should BC Hydro not fulfil that functional role;

I.         On November 10, 2022, BC Hydro filed its submission in response to Order R-33-22 (BC Hydro Initial Submission). BC Hydro submits it does not oppose being the TP for Entities interconnected to its transmission system but states that it would require BC Hydro to take on incremental activities and incremental compliance risk;

J.        By November 24, 2022, FBC, CEC, RCIA and CSWLP filed responses to the BC Hydro Initial Submission (Intervener’s Responses). FBC, RCIA and CSWLP disagree with BC Hydro’s claims that accepting the TP mapping would mean taking on incremental activities and compliance risk;

K.       On December 8, 2022, BC Hydro filed its reply to Intervener’s Responses. BC Hydro submits that all Interveners and WECC have differing interpretations of the implications of BC Hydro accepting other Entities’ requests of TP mapping and suggests the BCUC determine the compliance impacts and operational capacity of accepting TP mapping requests from Entities; and

L.       The BCUC has reviewed all Intervener submissions and determines that a Streamlined Review Process (SRP) is warranted.

 

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders the following:

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

2.       The scope of the SRP include, amongst others, the following topics:

                     i.            Parties’ interpretations of the TP role and responsibilities and the implications of accepting TP mapping requests among BC Hydro and other transmission owner/operators, generation owner/operators, and distribution provider Entities.

                   ii.            A comparison between BC Hydro’s current and proposed responsibilities as TP, including any financial, compliance and operational implications and means of mitigating them.

                 iii.            Parties’ submissions on further regulatory process in this Proceeding.

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this       13^th       day of January 2023.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

A. K. Fung, KC

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

 

 

British Columbia Utilities Commission

Mandatory Reliability Standards Planning Coordinator Function Registration

and Planning Coordinator Issues

 

 

 

 

*The Streamlined Review Process will take place in person at Allwest Reporting Ltd., 12^th Floor, 1125 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, commencing at 9 a.m. PT. Further information to follow.