ORDER NUMBER
G-362-23
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
Fleet Electrification Rate Evaluation Report for Demand Transition and Overnight Rates Extension Request
Variance to Order G-67-20
BEFORE:
B. A. Magnan, Commissioner
on December 29, 2023
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On December 18, 2023, the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) requested approval from the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) to postpone the filing dates for the three-year evaluation reports for Rate Schedule (RS) 165x – Demand Transition Rate (150 kilowatt (kW) and Over) and RS 164x – Overnight Rate (150 kW and Over), from December 30, 2023 and December 30, 2024, respectively, to December 30, 2026 and December 30, 2027, respectively (Application);
B. On March 26, 2020, the BCUC issued Order G-67-20, approving BC Hydro’s Demand Transition Rate and Overnight Rate, effective April 1, 2020, and April 1, 2021, respectively. The Demand Transition Rate is a temporary rate and will terminate effective March 31, 2032, and the Overnight Rate is a permanent rate. These rates are available to BC Hydro customers that are businesses, government agencies or other organizations that own, or lease, and operate electric fleet vehicles or vessels, for separately metered charging with maximum demand equal to or greater than 150 kW;
C. Directive 3 of Order G-67-20 requires BC Hydro to submit a three-year evaluation report for the Demand Transition Rate by December 30, 2023 and a three-year evaluation report for the Overnight Rate by December 30, 2024;
D. BC Hydro submits that there has been limited participation in Demand Transition Rate and Overnight Rate to date and there is insufficient information to provide a full evaluation by the dates set out in Directive 3 of Order G-67-20. Based on customer feedback, BC Hydro states that participation in the Demand Transition Rate and Overnight Rate is expected to gradually increase as customers electrify their fleets;
E. On December 22, 2023, BC Hydro provided supplemental information in response to BCUC Staff Questions indicating that it is amenable to filing a single report for the Demand Transition Rate and Overnight Rate for regulatory efficiency and proposes that such report be filed by December 30, 2027; and
F. The BCUC has reviewed the Application and associated documents. The BCUC considers that an amendment to the filing deadline of the evaluation report for the Demand Transition Rate and Overnight Rate, and a variance to Directive 3 of Order G-67-20, are warranted.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 99 of the Utilities Commission Act, the BCUC orders as follows:
1. Directive 3 of Order G-67-20 is varied and replaced as follows:
BC Hydro is directed to submit an evaluation report for the Demand Transition Rate and Overnight Rate by December 30, 2027 as set out in Appendix A of this order.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 29th day of December 2023.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
B. A. Magnan
Commissioner
Attachment
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
Fleet Electrification Rate Evaluation Report for Demand Transition and Overnight Rates Extension Request
Variance to Order G-67-20
BC Hydro Evaluation Report for the Demand Transition Rate and Overnight Rate
List of Reporting Items
The following items are to be included in the evaluation report for the Demand Transition Rate and Overnight Rate, respectively:
• Results from monitoring the following items on an annual basis:
o new revenue;
o incremental costs (metering, billing, costs associated with BCUC proceedings on these rates, and costs to retain a survey contract firm to run customer surveys if needed);
o new load (energy, demand, load shape and load factor);
o customer participation (the number and nature of fleet charging operations);
o customer feedback.
• Marginal transmission and distribution related costs;
• An assessment of the impact of the Fleet Electrification Rates on BC Hydro’s system load;
• Participant electricity costs and bills savings relative to the Large General Service rate;
• Cost recovery, including the inputs in the cost of service analysis;
• Economic impact on ratepayers, including the inputs in the economic analysis;
• Reductions to greenhouse gas emission and air pollutants, to the extent possible;
• BC Hydro’s assessment of the terms and conditions of the Fleet Electrification Rates (including availability);
• The need, if any, to amend the Fleet Electrification Rates;
• An assessment on whether the Fleet Electrification Rates are operating as anticipated; and
• Any unanticipated negative impacts on ratepayers or system load, demand or capacity.