ORDER NUMBER
F-25-23
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
FortisBC Inc.
Application for Approval of a Large Commercial Interruptible Rate
Participant Cost Award Application
BEFORE:
B. A. Magnan, Panel Chair
A. K. Fung, KC, Commissioner
E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner
on July 20, 2023
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On July 6, 2022, FortisBC Inc. (FBC) filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC), pursuant to sections 59 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act, for approval to establish a new rate and Rate Schedule 38 for the Large Commercial Interruptible Rate for Large Commercial electricity customers (Application);
B. By Orders G-226-22, G-331-22 and G-22-23, the BCUC established the regulatory timetable for review of the Application, which included intervener registration, two rounds of information requests, and written final and reply arguments;
C. On June 12, 2023, by Decision and Order G-136-23, the BCUC approved Rate Schedule 38 for the Large Commercial Interruptible Service on a pilot basis for a period of five years;
D. The following participants filed Participant Cost Award (PCA) applications with the BCUC with respect to their participation in the proceeding:
Date (2023) |
Participant |
Application |
March 22, 2023 and revised June 30, 2023 |
Industrial Customer Group (ICG) |
$8,078.00 |
June 13, 2023 |
British Columbia Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA) |
$12,189.84 |
June 16, 2023 |
Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia (the CEC) |
$22,755.25 |
June 19, 2023 |
British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization, et al. (BCOAPO) |
$24,026.01 |
E. By letter dated July 13, 2023, FBC provided its comments on the PCA applications, noting variances in the time and total amounts claimed by the participants, but deferring further analysis of the amounts to the BCUC; and
F. The BCUC has reviewed the PCA applications in accordance with the criteria and rates set out in the Rules of Practice and Procedure for Participant Cost Awards, attached to BCUC Order G-178-22 dated June 30, 2022, and amended by Order G-72-23 dated April 3, 2023, and concludes that the cost awards should be approved.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 118(1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the BCUC orders as follows:
1. PCA funding is awarded to the following participants in the listed amounts for their participation in the proceeding:
Participant |
Award |
ICG |
$8,078.00 |
BCSEA |
$12,189.84 |
The CEC |
$22,755.25 |
BCOAPO |
$24,026.01 |
2. FBC is directed to reimburse the respective participants for the above noted PCA funding in a timely manner.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 20th day of July 2023.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
B. A. Magnan
Commissioner