ORDER NUMBER
P-1-25
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
Plateau Pipe Line Ltd.
Abandonment of Service as a Common Carrier
on the Northern Segment of the Western Pipeline System
BEFORE:
T. A. Loski, Panel Chair
E. A. Brown, Commissioner
B. A. Magnan, Commissioner
on October 9, 2025
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On October 7, 2024, Plateau Pipe Line Ltd. (Plateau), a wholly owned subsidiary of Pembina Pipeline Corporation (Pembina) and general partner of Pembina West Limited Partnership (Pembina West), filed an application (Abandonment Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for approval to abandon common carrier service on the northern segment (Northern Segment) of the western pipeline system (Western System) pursuant to sections 65 and 72(2) of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA);
B. The Western System is a crude oil pipeline providing southbound service from Taylor, BC to Kamloops, BC. The Northern Segment of the Western System runs from Taylor to Prince George, BC, and the southern segment ran from Prince George to Kamloops (Southern Segment). Plateau, Pembina, and Pembina West were granted leave to abandon common carrier service on the Southern Segment in October 2022 pursuant to BCUC Order G-282-22. In the Abandonment Application, Plateau states that it has not received any requests for service on the Western System from any shipper other than Tidewater Midstream and Infrastructure Ltd. (Tidewater) since 2019;
C. By Order G-262-24 dated October 18, 2024, and as amended by Orders G-301-24, G-332-24, G-350-24,
G-57-25, G-67-25 and G-74-25, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable for review of the Abandonment Application, which included, among other things, public notice, intervener registration, one round of BCUC, Plateau and Tidewater information requests, and final and reply argument;
D. By Order G-350-24, the BCUC established an interim toll of $85.28/cubic meter for service on the Northern Segment of the Western System (Interim Toll) for the period January 1, 2025 to the earlier of either December 31, 2025 or the date of an order approving abandonment of common carrier service on the Western System, with any difference between the Interim Toll and the permanent toll for service on the Northern Segment refundable or recoverable with interest at the average prime rate of Plateau’s principal bank for its most recent year;
E. By letter dated May 6, 2025, Plateau and Tidewater jointly requested that the BCUC hold the issuance of its decision on the Abandonment Application in abeyance to allow the parties to pursue a commercial resolution of the issues raised in the Abandonment Application. In response to this request, on May 13, 2025, the BCUC issued Order G-118-25 adjourning the proceeding pending an update from Plateau, to be filed by no later than September 1, 2025, on the status of the parties’ efforts to reach a commercial resolution;
F. By Order G-216-25 dated September 4, 2025, the BCUC further adjourned the proceeding pending the filing of an update regarding Plateau and Tidewater’s efforts to reach a commercial resolution to the issues raised in the Abandonment Application by no later than October 1, 2025;
G. By letter dated October 1, 2025 (Letter), Plateau states that on September 25, 2025, Pembina West successfully closed an asset purchase agreement with Tidewater, pursuant to which Tidewater, through a wholly owned limited partnership, has acquired and assumed operational responsibilities over the Northern Segment of the Western System;
H. Also in the Letter, Plateau states that Pembina West and Tidewater have agreed to a commercial process whereby Tidewater and Pembina West will be refunded or recover, as applicable, any difference between the Interim Toll and actual costs incurred by Pembina West in the operation of the Western System during the period of its ownership thereof, on terms agreeable to both of them;
I. Plateau requests in the Letter that the BCUC issue an order granting the Abandonment Application and:
• directing that Plateau, Pembina, and Pembina West are no longer required to provide service on the Northern Segment as a common carrier;
• cancelling or rescinding Order G-350-24;
• directing that there shall be no refund or recovery pursuant to Directive #2 of Order G-350-24; and
• confirming that common carrier obligations under section 65 of the UCA no longer apply to Pembina or Plateau in respect of the Northern Segment of the Western System or the Taylor Tank Farm;
J. A letter of support from Tidewater for BCUC approval of Plateau’s requests was included in the Letter; and
K. The BCUC has reviewed Plateau’s Abandonment Application and the Letter, acknowledges that Plateau no longer operates or provides transportation services over any portion of the Western System, and considers the following determinations to be warranted.
NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:
1. Plateau, Pembina, and Pembina West are granted leave to abandon service as a common carrier on the Northern Segment of the Western System pursuant to section 65 of the UCA.
2. Order G-350-24 is rescinded.
3. All materials filed confidentially in this proceeding will be held confidential unless the BCUC determines otherwise.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 9th day of October 2025.
BY ORDER
Electronically signed by Tom Loski
T. A. Loski
Commissioner