ORDER NUMBER
G-30-23
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
Load Attraction Interconnection Study Cost Incentive Application
BEFORE:
T. A. Loski, Panel Chair
E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner
A. Pape-Salmon, Commissioner
on February 13, 2023
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On December 14, 2022, the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC), pursuant to section 7 of Order in Council No. 355 and section 63 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), seeking consent from the BCUC to relieve eligible transmission and distribution customers participating in BC Hydro’s Load Attraction Program from certain payment obligations to BC Hydro for interconnection studies for a period from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2027 (Application);
B. On August 31, 2021, BC Hydro filed its Fiscal 2023 to Fiscal 2025 Revenue Requirements Application with the BCUC, including, among other things, the Appendix U ‑ F2022 to F2026 Electrification Plan, August 2021;
C. On June 27, 2022, the Lieutenant Governor in Council issued Order in Council No. 355 to the BCUC Respecting Load Attraction and Low‑Carbon Electrification (Direction). Section 7 of the Direction states:
The commission must consent under section 63 of the Act to a request, made by the authority for the purposes of providing an incentive or other funding under the load‑attraction program or low‑carbon electrification program, to charge, demand, collect or receive compensation for a service that is less than or other than that specified in the subsisting schedules of the authority applicable to that service and filed under the Act;
D. On January 10, 2023, the BCUC issued Staff Questions No. 1 to BC Hydro, and BC Hydro provided its responses on February 3, 2023; and
E. The BCUC finds that the following determination is warranted.
NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to Order in Council No. 355 and section 63 of the UCA, the BCUC orders as follows:
1. The BCUC consents to BC Hydro’s request to relieve eligible transmission and distribution customers participating in BC Hydro’s Load Attraction Program from certain payment obligations to BC Hydro for interconnection studies for a period from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2027, as described in the Application.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 13th day of February 2023.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
T. A. Loski
Commissioner