Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-12-24

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

Creative Energy Mount Pleasant Limited Partnership

Rates for the Mount Pleasant District Cooling System

BEFORE:

E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner

on January 12, 2024

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On October 31, 2023, Creative Energy Mount Pleasant Limited Partnership (CEMP) filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC), pursuant to sections 58 to 61 and 90 of the Utilities Commission Act and section 15 of the Administrative Tribunal Act, its application for rates for the Mount Pleasant District Cooling System (DCS) for the provision of cooling service to the Main Alley Development (Application) and requested, among other things, the following interim approvals for the three year period, effective January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2026 (Test Period):

                  (i)            A levelized capacity charge ($/kilowatt (kw)/month) as set out in Appendix B to the Application to recover the forecast capital and fixed operating costs (Capacity Charge); and

                (ii)            A variable charge ($/megawatt-hour (MWh)) as set out in Appendix B to the Application to recover the actual electricity and water costs on a flow-through basis (Variable Charge);

B.      By Order C-5-20 dated December 3, 2020, the BCUC granted a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to CEMP authorizing it to acquire and operate the existing Mount Pleasant DCS, including specific extensions, renovations, expansions and upgrades that will be completed in four phases;

C.      By Order G-242-22 dated August 22, 2022, the BCUC, among other things, approved the rate structure for the Mount Pleasant DCS, as well as the rates, for a three-year period, effective February 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023.

D.      CEMP states in the Application that:

•         The proposed interim rates for the Test Period are designed on a 25-year levelized basis, determined in accordance with the rate structure approved by Order G-242-22, and that the Test Period is defined by the forecast completion of Phase 2 of the Mount Pleasant DCS;

•         Upon the completion of Phase 2, specifically once actual capital costs are known and Phase 2 assets are placed into service, it will file an evidentiary update, the timing of which is yet to be determined, supporting a request for approval of permanent rates for the Test Period;

E.       By Order G-350-23 dated December 14, 2023, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable for the review of the Application, which included a request for submissions from CEMP on the proposed regulatory process, and granted approval of the Capacity Charge and Variable Charge, as set out in Appendix B to the Application, on an interim and refundable/recoverable basis, effective January 1, 2024;

F.       On December 21, 2023, CEMP filed its submissions to the BCUC and stated that it is amenable to setting permanent rates on the basis of forecast Phase 2 costs and commencing the regulatory process on the current Application; and

G.      The BCUC has commenced review of the Application, including submissions from CEMP and considers that a further regulatory timetable is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:

1.       A further regulatory timetable for the review of the Application is established as set out in Appendix A to this order.

2.       On or before Thursday, January 18, 2024, CEMP is directed to:

                  (i)            provide notice of the Application and this order on its website;

                (ii)            provide a copy of this order and the Public Notice attached as Appendix B to this order, electronically where possible, to all existing and prospective CEMP customers of buildings M1 to M4 and registered interveners in the 2021-2023 Rates for the Mount Pleasant DCS proceeding; and

               (iii)            provide notice of the Application and this order, or post the Public Notice attached as Appendix B to this order, on its existing social media platforms.

3.       CEMP is directed to provide to the BCUC by Monday, January 22, 2024, confirmation of compliance with Directive 2, including a list of the social media platforms on which the Public Notice was posted, and a list of all parties notified.

4.       In accordance with the BCUC Rules of Practice and Procedure, parties who wish to actively participate in the proceeding must complete a Request to Intervene Form, available on the Get Involved in a Proceeding section of the BCUC's website at https://www.bcuc.com/GetInvolved/GetInvolvedProceeding, by Tuesday, February 6, 2024.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this ………..12^th ………… day of January 2024.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

E. B. Lockhart

Commissioner

Attachment

Creative Energy Mount Pleasant Limited Partnership

Rates for the Mount Pleasant District Cooling System

CREATIVE ENERGY RATES FOR THE MOUNT PLEASANT DISTRICT COOLING SYSTEM

On October 31, 2023, Creative Energy Mount Pleasant Limited Partnership (Creative Energy) applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for approval of changes to rates for its cooling service to the Main Alley Development for a three-year period from 2024 to 2026. The BCUC has approved the requested rates on an interim and refundable/recoverable basis and has started a proceeding to review Creative Energy’s application for permanent rates. Please visit the Proceeding webpage on bcuc.com under “Our Work” to learn more.  

To participate in the proceeding, visit www.bcuc.com/get-involved.

Subscribe to this proceeding on bcuc.com under “Get Involved” to receive email notifications when public documents are added to the proceeding.