Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-159-25

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

FortisBC Alternative Energy Services Inc.

Fiscal 2025/26 Annual Cost of Service Rate for the Thermal Energy Service

to Delta School District No. 37

BEFORE:

B. A. Magnan, Commissioner

on June 27, 2025

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On June 16, 2025, pursuant to sections 59 to 61 and 89 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), FortisBC Alternative Energy Services Inc. (FAES) applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for approval, on an interim and permanent basis, to increase the cost of service (COS) rate for thermal energy service provided by FAES to the Delta School District No. 37 (DSD) for the fiscal and contract year from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026 (Fiscal 2025/26), from $0.235 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to $0.246 per kWh, effective July 1, 2025 (Application);

B.      FAES states that the proposed rate change is based on its forecast annual COS to serve DSD for the Fiscal 2025/26 period;

C.      FAES requests that the live financial model filed in Appendix B to the Application be held confidential on the basis that it is the result of significant development effort by FAES on behalf of its customers and therefore the formulas and configuration of the model are commercially sensitive; and

D.      The BCUC has commenced review of the Application and finds that establishment of a regulatory timetable is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to sections 59 to 61 and 89 of the UCA, the BCUC orders as follows:

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

2.       FAES is directed to provide a copy of this order to DSD by Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

3.       FAES is directed to provide to the BCUC a confirmation of compliance with directive 2 of this order by Friday, July 4, 2025.

4.       FAES is approved to charge a COS Rate for DSD of $0.246 per kWh, on an interim and refundable or recoverable basis, effective July 1, 2025, for Fiscal 2025/26. Any variance between the interim rate and the permanent rate, as determined by the BCUC at the time it renders its final decision on the Application, is subject to refund or recovery, with interest at the average prime rate of FAES’ principal bank for its most recent year.

5.       FAES is directed to file tariff pages reflecting the approved interim COS Rate for Fiscal 2025/26 for endorsement by the BCUC within 10 days of the date of this order.

6.       The live financial model filed in Appendix B to the Application will be kept confidential unless the BCUC determines otherwise.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this          27^th          day of June 2025.

BY ORDER

Electronically signed by Bernard Magnan

B. A. Magnan

Commissioner

Attachment

FortisBC Alternative Energy Services Inc.

Fiscal 2025/26 Annual Cost of Service Rate for the Thermal Energy Service

to Delta School District No. 37