Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-248-25

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Bridge River Projects

BEFORE:

M. Jaccard, Panel Chair

A. C. Dennier, Commissioner

on October 15, 2025

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On July 23, 2021, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed an 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 for the Bridge River 1 Units 1 to 4 Generator Replacement Project (BR1 Project) and a CPCN for the Bridge River Transmission Project (BRT Project) (together, Application);

B.      In the Application, BC Hydro requests approval for:

a.       The BR1 Project to replace aging generating equipment with the Bridge River 1 Generating Station; and

b.       The BRT project to increase the maximum capacity of the 2L90 circuit and to refurbish existing circuit infrastructure;

C.      The following intervener groups registered to participate in this proceeding:

•         British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al.;

•         British Columbia Sustainable Energy Association;

•         Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia;

•         Residential Consumer Intervener Association;

•         British Columbia Solar and Storage Industries Association; and

•         St’át’imc Chiefs Council;

D.      On October 11, 2022, by Order C-6-22, the BCUC granted BC Hydro a CPCN for the BR1 Project subject to certain conditions consistent with BC Hydro’s commitments to the St’at’imc Nation with further process on the BRT Project to be determined;

E.       By letter dated April 16, 2025, BC Hydro stated it anticipates filing an evidentiary update for the BRT Project, including the AACE Class 3 cost estimate, by September 30, 2025;

F.       By Order G-106-25, dated April 24, 2025, the BCUC adjourned the proceeding pending the filing of
BC Hydro’s evidentiary update;

G.      On September 26, 2025, BC Hydro filed its evidentiary update for the BRT Project including an AACE Class 3 cost estimate (Evidentiary Update);

H.      BC Hydro requests that certain information contained within the Evidentiary Update be held confidential, pursuant to Part IV of the BCUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure due to commercially sensitive information that could pose significant harm or prejudice to BC Hydro’s negotiating position, its customer’s confidentiality or BC Hydro’s security. Specifically, BC Hydro requests the following:

•         Appendices A, C and D to the Evidentiary Update relating to Alternative Analysis NPV model, design cost estimate and bill impact matters be held confidential; and

•         Redacted information in Chapters 1, 2 and 3 of the Evidentiary Update, relating to specific details on BC Hydro’s project contingency and costs be held confidential; and

I.         The BCUC has commenced its review of the Evidentiary Update and considers that the resumption of the proceeding and the establishment of a further regulatory timetable for the review of the Application are warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:

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

2.       Registered interveners are requested to confirm in writing their continued participation in the proceeding by Thursday, October 30, 2025. Any party that fails to confirm its participation by this date will no longer be considered to hold intervener status in this proceeding.

3.       Participant cost awards for the remainder of this proceeding shall be limited to those registered interveners that have provided written confirmation of their continued participation and will be reviewed by the BCUC in accordance with the criteria and rates set out in its Rules of Practice and Procedure established by Order G-192-25.

4.       In accordance with the BCUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, parties may also submit letters of comment by completing a 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      15th       day of October 2025.

BY ORDER

Electronically signed by Mark Jaccard

M. Jaccard

Commissioner

Attachment

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Bridge River Projects