Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-231-25

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

British Columbia Utilities Commission

Review of Renewable Natural Gas Definition and Accounting

 

BEFORE:

M. Jaccard, Panel Chair

T. A. Loski, Commissioner

B. A. Magnan, Commissioner

 

on September 23, 2025

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      By Order G-137-25 dated June 5, 2025, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) established an inquiry (Inquiry) to examine the BCUC’s definition of renewable natural gas, the sufficiency of mechanisms for ensuring that greenhouse gas emissions associated with biomethane purchased from projects located outside of British Columbia are properly accounted for, and whether further acquisitions of out-of-province biomethane are consistent with the requirements of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Regulation. The regulatory timetable for the Inquiry included, among other things, intervener registration, intervener submissions regarding the questions set out in Appendix B to Order G-137-25 (Appendix B Submissions), BCUC and intervener information requests (IRs) No. 1 on Appendix B Submissions, and IR No. 1 responses;

B.      By Order G-182-25 dated July 24, 2025, the BCUC accepted 16 parties as interveners in the Inquiry and directed certain interveners to participate as a member of an intervener group (Intervener Group 1, Intervener Group 2, or Intervener Group 3), and to file all submissions jointly within their assigned intervener group;

C.      By August 27, 2025, Appendix B Submissions were filed by Intervener Group 1, Intervener Group 2, Intervener Group 3, and five other interveners; and

D.      The BCUC has reviewed the Appendix B Submissions and considers that an amendment to the regulatory timetable is warranted.

 

NOW THEREFORE for the reasons outlined in the decision accompanying this order, the BCUC orders that the regulatory timetable is amended as set out in Appendix A to this order.

 

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this      23^rd      day of September 2025.

 

BY ORDER

 

Electronically signed by Mark Jaccard

 

M. Jaccard

Commissioner

British Columbia Utilities Commission

Review of Renewable Natural Gas Definition and Accounting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

British Columbia Utilities Commission

Review of Renewable Natural Gas Definition and Accounting

 

 

Background

By Order G-137-25 dated June 5, 2025, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) established an inquiry (Inquiry) to examine the BCUC’s definition of renewable natural gas, the sufficiency of mechanisms for ensuring that greenhouse gas emissions associated with biomethane purchased from projects located outside of British Columbia are properly accounted for, and whether further acquisitions of out-of-province biomethane are consistent with the requirements of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Regulation.

 

The regulatory timetable established for the Inquiry included, among other things, intervener registration, intervener submissions regarding the questions set out in Appendix B to Order G-137-25 (Appendix B Submissions), BCUC and intervener information requests (IRs) on Appendix B Submissions, and IR responses.

 

By Order G-182-25 dated July 24, 2025, the BCUC accepted 16 parties as interveners in the Inquiry and directed certain interveners to participate as a member of an intervener group. Interveners grouped into Intervener Groups 1, 2, and 3 were directed to file all submissions jointly within their assigned group. By August 27, 2025, the BCUC had received Appendix B Submissions from Intervener Group 1, Intervener Group 2, Intervener Group 3, and five other interveners.

 

Panel Determination and Discussion

The regulatory timetable currently in effect requires BCUC and Intervener IRs to be filed simultaneously. Having reviewed the Appendix B Submissions, the Panel considers that having BCUC IRs and responses take place in advance of intervener IRs would support regulatory efficiency. Such an approach provides interveners with an opportunity to review BCUC IRs to avoid duplication, and allows interveners to test the responses to BCUC IRs through further IRs. As such, the Panel considers an amendment to the regulatory timetable to be warranted.

 

Further, the Panel notes that the level of collaboration evidenced in the intervener groups’ Appendix B Submissions varied considerably. Members of Intervener Groups 1 and 3 appear to have worked together, respectively, to prepare joint submissions that clearly articulate areas of both shared and differing views through a single narrative. This is consistent with requirements of, and the spirit and intent of, the Panel’s directions on joint submissions.[1] Conversely, Intervener Group 2’s Appendix B Submission is a compilation of several individual submissions filed as a single document, providing little evidence of efforts to identify areas of synergy and/or avoid duplication. The Panel expects that the additional preparation time provided by the amended regulatory timetable will support Intervener Group 2 (and other Inquiry participants in intervener groups) in preparing an efficient, consolidated, set of IRs that reflect the collaborative participation of all members of the intervener group.

 

 

Dated at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this      23^rd      day of September 2025.

 

 

Electronically signed by Mark Jaccard

_________________________________

M. Jaccard

Panel Chair/Commissioner

 

 

Electronically signed by Tom Loski

_________________________________

T. A. Loski

Commissioner

 

 

Electronically signed by Bernard Magnan

_________________________________

B. A. Magnan

Commissioner