ORDER NUMBER
E-14-23
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
FortisBC Energy Inc.
Section 71 GasEDI Base Contract with Gunvor USA LLC
BEFORE:
B. A. Magnan, Panel Chair
E. Brown, Commissioner
W. E. Royle, Commissioner
on September 28, 2023
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On August 21, 2023, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) a copy of a fully executed Gas Electronic Data Interface (GasEDI) Base Contract negotiated between Gunvor USA LLC (Gunvor) and FEI (FEI-Gunvor GasEDI Contract), including amendments to the general terms and conditions of the GasEDI Base Contract (Filing);
B. By Order G-130-06 dated October 26, 2006, the BCUC approved the Rules for Natural Gas Energy Supply Contracts (Rules). The Rules are intended to facilitate the BCUC’s review of natural gas energy supply contracts pursuant to section 71 of the Utilities Commission Act;
C. By Order G-79-01 dated July 20, 2001, with amendments to Rate Schedule 30 approved by Orders G-89-03, G-197-11, G-19-16, and most recently by Order G-58-20 dated March 19, 2020, which contains the GasEDI base contract and FEI’s set of Standard Provisions, which are used by FEI as the starting point for negotiation with counterparties in its gas contracting;
D. By Letter L-30-23 dated June 8, 2023, the BCUC accepted the FEI Annual Contracting Plan (ACP) for the 2023/24 gas year commencing November 1, 2023;
E. FEI requests the details of the Filing be kept confidential in perpetuity due to its commercially sensitive nature and to ensure that FEI’s ability to obtain favourable commercial terms for future natural gas contracting is not impaired; and
F. The BCUC has reviewed the Filing and is satisfied the FEI-Gunvor GasEDI Contract is in the public interest.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 71 of the Utilities Commission Act and the Rules, the BCUC orders as follows:
1. The FEI-Gunvor GasEDI Contract dated August 11, 2023, is accepted as filed.
2. The BCUC will keep the Filing confidential until the BCUC determines otherwise as it contains commercially sensitive information.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 28th day of September 2023.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
B. A. Magnan
Commissioner