Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-328-23

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Ladore Spillway Seismic Upgrade Project and Strathcona Discharge Upgrade Project Application

 

BEFORE:

A. K. Fung, KC, Panel Chair

W. M. Everett, KC, Commissioner

M. Kresivo, KC, Commissioner

 

on December 1, 2023

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On June 14, 2023, the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) pursuant to Section 44.2(3) of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) for acceptance of each of the schedules of capital expenditures BC Hydro anticipates making for implementation of the Ladore Spillway Seismic Upgrade Project (Ladore Project) and the Strathcona Discharge Upgrade Project (Strathcona Project) (together, the Projects) and a determination that making the expenditures for the Projects is in the public interest (Application);

B.      The Ladore and Strathcona facilities form part of the Campbell River System, which comprises dams, reservoirs, and generating facilities that are located along the Campbell River on Vancouver Island. BC Hydro submits the Projects are required to address dam safety deficiencies related to the Ladore and Strathcona facilities’ seismic withstand and water discharge capacity that could lead to overtopping and failure of the dams;

C.      By Order G-189-23, dated July 18, 2023, the BCUC established a written hearing process and a regulatory timetable that included, among other things, one round of information requests (IRs), with further process to be determined;

D.      By Order G-303-23, dated November 9, 2023, the BCUC established a further regulatory timetable, including a second round of information requests (IR No.2);  

E.       By letter dated November 29, 2023, BC Hydro requested an extension to the deadline for filing responses to British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization, Active Support Against Poverty, Disability Alliance BC, Council of Senior Citizens’ Organizations of BC, Tenants Resource and Advisory Centre, and Together Against Poverty Society (BCOAPO) IR No. 2. In the letter, BC Hydro clarifies that it is not requesting a change to the deadline for filing its response to BCUC and other interveners, nor to filing of BC Hydro’s Final Argument; and

F.       The BCUC has reviewed the BC Hydro letter and considers an amendment to the regulatory timetable is warranted.

 

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders that the regulatory timetable is amended as set out in Appendix A to this order.

 

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this          1^st          day of December 2023.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

A. K. Fung, KC

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

 

 

 

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Ladore Spillway Seismic Upgrade Project and Strathcona Discharge Upgrade Project Application