Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-293-24

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Distribution Extension Policy

 

BEFORE:

M. Jaccard, Panel Chair

T. A. Loski, Commissioner

W. E. Royle, Commissioner

 

on November 13, 2024

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On June 27, 2024, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed its Distribution Extension Policy Application (Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC), pursuant to sections 58 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), requesting the approval of amendments to the Electric Tariff Terms and Conditions that govern distribution extensions, including to:

•         Update Electric Tariff Section 8.3 in respect of extension fee calculation, system improvement cost, and BC Hydro’s maximum contribution to an extension, and establish a new Electric Tariff Section 11.5 in respect of BC Hydro’s maximum contribution;

•         Update Electric Tariff Section 8.4 in respect of guarantee requirements and reviews;

•         Update Electric Tariff Section 8.5 in respect of refund of extensions fees;

•         Remove Electric Tariff Section 8.7 in respect of extensions in Rate Zone IB and Rate Zone II;

•         Update Electric Tariff Section 8.8 in respect of uneconomic extension fund; and

•         Update Electric Tariff Section 11.1 in respect of minimum connection charges and Section 11.2 in respect of metering charges;

B.      In the Application, BC Hydro also seeks approval of other administrative and housekeeping amendments to Electric Tariff Sections 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 11, and Rate Schedules 1640, 1641, 1642, and 1643;

C.      BC Hydro proposes that these amendments be made effective the later of April 1, 2025, or four months following the approval of the proposed amendments by the BCUC;

D.      By Order G-199-24 dated July 23, 2024, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable for review of the Application, which included, among other things, intervener registration, one round of information requests (IRs) and final and reply arguments;

E.       By Order G-277-24 dated October 30, 2024, the BCUC issued an amended regulatory timetable to allow for Panel IRs to BC Hydro;

F.       On November 12, 2024, BC Hydro filed a request for an extension to the deadline for responses to Panel IR No. 1 from November 12, 2024, to November 15, 2024; and

G.      The BCUC has reviewed BC Hydro’s request and determines that amending the regulatory timetable is warranted.

 

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

 

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this           13^th          day of November 2024.

 

BY ORDER

 

Electronically signed by Mark Jaccard

 

M. Jaccard

Commissioner

 

Attachment

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Distribution Extension Policy