ORDER NUMBER
F-17-23
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
Fiscal 2023 to Fiscal 2025 Revenue Requirements Application
Interim Participant Assistance/Cost Award Application
BEFORE:
D. M. Morton, Panel Chair
A. K. Fung, KC, Commissioner
R. I. Mason, Commissioner
A. Pape-Salmon, Commissioner
on May 15, 2023
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On August 31, 2021, the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed its Fiscal 2023 to Fiscal 2025 Revenue Requirements Application (Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) pursuant to sections 44.2, and 58 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act requesting, among other things, interim and, after certain future determinations in other proceedings, permanent approval of the following:
(i) Increase in rates by 0.62 percent, effective April 1, 2022, by 0.97 percent, effective April 1, 2023 and by 2.18 percent, effective April 1, 2024; and
(ii) The fiscal 2023, fiscal 2024, and fiscal 2025 Open Access Transmission Tariff rates as set out in Table 9-4 of the Application;
B. In the Application, BC Hydro also requested to set the Deferral Account Rate Rider on an interim and permanent basis at (2.0) percent, effective April 1, 2022 for fiscal 2023; and, on a permanent basis at (1.0) percent, effective April 1, 2023 for fiscal 2024 and (0.5) percent, effective April 1, 2024 for fiscal 2025;
C. On April 21, 2023, the BCUC issued its Decision to the Application and accompanying Order G-91-23, which noted that the review of BC Hydro’s request to reinstate a $320 million regulatory liability in the Trade Income Deferral Account (TIDA) and BC Hydro’s finance charges is currently ongoing;
D. By Order G-111-23, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable for the review of BC Hydro’s request to reinstate a $320 million regulatory liability in the TIDA and BC Hydro’s finance charges;
E. The Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia (CEC) registered as an intervener in the proceeding and, on June 2, 2022 filed with the BCUC a budget estimate of $188,534.06, inclusive of taxes, with respect to its participation in the proceeding that includes a one-week oral hearing;
F. On April 21, 2023, the CEC filed an interim Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) application with the BCUC requesting $189,934.11, inclusive of taxes, which represents its actual costs incurred with respect to its participation in the proceeding pursuant to the BCUC’s PACA Guidelines (Interim PACA Application);
G. Section 5.4 of the PACA Guidelines states that interim funding ordered by the BCUC typically does not exceed 50 percent of the participant’s budget estimate;
H. By Order F-7-23, the BCUC granted interim funding to the Association of Major Power Customers that represents approximately 60 percent of its budget estimate in recognition of the protracted nature of this proceeding to address issues that arose concerning the TIDA and the Deferral Account Rate Rider; and
I. The BCUC has reviewed the Interim PACA Application in accordance with the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines attached to Order G-97-17 and given the current stage of the proceeding, the Panel determines that an interim cost award based on 60 percent of the CEC’s budget estimate is warranted. The CEC has not provided a compelling reason for a greater quantum of interim funding.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 118(1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the BCUC orders as follows:
1. Interim costs in the amount of $113,120.44 are awarded to the CEC as an advance against the BCUC’s final cost award determination after the conclusion of the proceeding.
2. BC Hydro is directed to pay the CEC the amount of the interim cost award in a timely manner.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 15th day of May 2023.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
D. M. Morton
Commissioner