Orders

 

ORDER NUMBER

F-18-23

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Application for Orders Regarding the Peace to Kelly Lake Stations Sustainment Project

 

BEFORE:

E. B. Lockhart, Panel Chair

T. A. Loski, Commissioner

A. Pape-Salmon, Commissioner

 

May 16, 2023

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On January 25, 2022, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC), seeking acceptance of a capital expenditure schedule in the cost range of $253 to $354 million for the Peace to Kelly Lake Stations Sustainment Project (Project), pursuant to section 44.2 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) (Application);

B.      The Project consists of the replacement of equipment and buildings at existing stations on the Peace to Kelly Lake portion of BC Hydro’s transmission system;

C.      On July 11, 2022, the BCUC received a letter from BC Hydro requesting to file an updated cost estimate for the Project. By Order G-190-22 dated July 13, 2022, the BCUC amended the regulatory timetable to allow BC Hydro to file its updated cost estimate. On August 15, 2022, BC Hydro filed an updated cost estimate;

D.      By Orders G-60-22A, G-174-22, G-236-22, G-295-22, the BCUC established and amended the regulatory timetable for the review of the Application, which included two rounds of information requests (IRs) to BC Hydro from the BCUC and interveners, and final and reply arguments;

E.       The Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia (CEC), Residential Consumer Intervener Association (RCIA) and British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. (BCOAPA) registered as interveners in the proceeding;

F.       By Order G-57-23 dated March 20, 2023, the BCUC accepted BC Hydro’s capital expenditure schedule for the Project;

G.      The following registered interveners filed Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) applications with the BCUC with respect to their participation in the proceeding:

 

H.      By letter dated May 1, 2023, BC Hydro provided its comments on the PACA applications, stating that in its view the registered interveners all participated in the proceeding and contributed to a better understanding by the BCUC of the issues in the proceeding. BC Hydro believes that all three registered interveners are eligible for a cost award and it does not seek an adjustment to any cost award application; and

I.         The BCUC has reviewed the PACA applications in accordance with the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines, attached to BCUC Order G-97-17, and concludes that the cost awards should be approved.

 

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

 

1.       Funding is awarded to the following interveners in the listed amounts for their participation in the proceeding:

 

2.       BC Hydro is directed 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          16^th          day of May 2023.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

E. B. Lockhart

Commissioner