Orders

ORDER NUMBER

R-5-23

 

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 February 9, 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 Administrator of the MRS Program, 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-2-23 dated January 13, 2023, the BCUC established a Streamlined Review Process for issues pertaining to the Transmission Planner mapping (SRP);

I.         On January 26, 2023, the BCUC held the SRP with WECC, FBC, BC Hydro, RCIA and CSWLP in attendance;

J.        At the SRP, BC Hydro proposed a path forward for next steps in the proceeding (Path Forward). BC Hydro’s Path Forward recommends the BCUC:

1)      Request WECC to conduct another Transmission Planner mapping so that BC Hydro can accept mapping requests from registered Generator Owners and Distribution Providers;

2)      Amend Section 3.1 of the Registration Manual for British Columbia Mandatory Reliability Standards to include Transmission Planners for the assignment of compliance responsibility process; and

3)      Request WECC to work with appropriate parties to set out an implementation timeline and activities for Transmission Owner/Operators wishing to map to BC Hydro as its Transmission Planner. In addition to BC Hydro and FBC, BC Hydro has identified Catalyst Paper Powell River Division as a Transmission Owner;

K.       At the SRP, BC Hydro also introduced the concept of adopting a Coordinated Functional Registration model in British Columbia as a way to facilitate assigning compliance responsibility to another Entity with regards to specific requirements applicable to the Transmission Planner; and

L.       The BCUC determines that further process is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders the following:

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

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this          9^th         day of February 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