Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-63-25

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

Pacific Northern Gas Ltd.

Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
for the Ridley Island Energy Export Facility Interconnection Project

BEFORE:

E. A. Brown, Panel Chair

E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner

on March 12, 2025

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On February 12, 2025, Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. (PNG) filed an application (Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) pursuant to sections 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) for the Ridley Island Energy Export Facility (REEF) Interconnection Project (Project);

B.      In the Application, PNG also seeks approval, pursuant to sections 59 to 61 of the UCA, of a transportation reservation agreement (TRA), an industrial gas sales agreement (GSA) and a facilities agreement (Facilities Agreement), all which pertain to the provision of natural gas service to REEF as a new industrial customer;

C.      The Project comprises the design, permitting, excavation, construction and commissioning of approximately 650 metres of interconnection fuel gas pipeline, a gas metering station and a hot tap to connect the existing PNG West transmission system to the new addition. The expected cost of the Project is $3.25 million;

D.      PNG requests that certain information contained in the TRA, GSA, Facilities Agreement, Design Basis Memorandum provided in Appendix E to the Application and Project Cost Estimate provided in Appendix F to the Application (Confidential Information) be held confidential in accordance with Part IV of the BCUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure due to it being operationally or commercially sensitive; and

E.       The BCUC determines that establishing a public hearing and a regulatory timetable are warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:

1.       A public hearing is established for review of the Application in accordance with a regulatory timetable set out in Appendix A to this order.

2.       PNG is directed, as soon as is practicable but not later than Tuesday, March 18, 2025, to provide a copy of this order and the Application, electronically where possible, to all known affected or potentially affected parties, including, but not limited to REEF, all First Nations, Indigenous communities, and other stakeholders identified in the Application.

3.       PNG is directed, as soon as practicable, but not later than Tuesday, March 18, 2025, to make the Application and this order available on its website.

4.       PNG is directed to provide to the BCUC by Tuesday, March 25, 2025, written confirmation of compliance with Directives 2 and 3 of this order, including the date the Public Notice was published and a list of all parties notified.

5.       The Confidential Information will be held confidential unless the BCUC determines otherwise.

6.       In accordance with the BCUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, any party wishing to comment on the Application is invited to submit a Letter of Comment by the date established in the regulatory timetable. Letters of Comment must be submitted by way of the Letter of Comment Form available on the BCUC’s website at https://www.bcuc.com/Forms/LetterOfComment.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this   12^th   day of March 2025.

BY ORDER

Electronically signed by Elizabeth (Lisa) Brown

E. A. Brown

Commissioner

Attachment

Pacific Northern Gas Ltd.

Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
for the Ridley Island Energy Export Facility Interconnection Project

PNG CPCN for the Ridley Island Energy Export Facility Interconnection Project

On February 12, 2025, Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. filed an Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Ridley Island Energy Export Facility Interconnection Project. The Project comprises the design, permitting, excavation, construction, and commissioning of approximately 650 metres of fuel gas pipeline. This together with a gas metering station, are dedicated to providing natural gas service to the new Ridley Island Energy Export Facility on Ridley Island, near Prince Rupert, British Columbia. The expected cost of the Project is $3.25 million.

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.