SIXTH FLOOR, 900 HOWE STREET, BOX 250 VANCOUVER, B.C. V6Z 2N3 CANADA web site: http://www.bcuc.com IN THE MATTER OF the Utilities Commission Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, Chapter 473 and An Inquiry into British Columbia’s Electricity Transmission Infrastructure and Capacity Needs for the Next 30 Years BEFORE: L.A. O’Hara, Commissioner and Panel Chair A.W.K. Anderson, Commissioner D.A. Cote, Commissioner M.R. Harle, Commissioner R.K. Ravelli, Commissioner O R D E R WHEREAS: A. Section 5(4) of the Utilities Commission Act (“UCA” or “Act”) provides that the British Columbia Utilities Commission (“Commission”) must conduct an inquiry (“Inquiry”) to make determinations with respect to British Columbia’s infrastructure and capacity needs for electricity transmission for the period ending 20 years after the day the inquiry begins, or a different period if so specified by terms of reference issued by the Minister responsible for administration of the Hydro and Power Authority Act (“Minister”); and B. Section 5(5) of the Act provides that the Inquiry must begin by March 31, 2009; and C. Section 5(6) provides that the Minister may specify, by order, terms of reference regarding the manner in which and the time by which the Commission must issue its determinations arising from the Inquiry; and D. On December 11, 2008, the Minister issued Terms of Reference for the Inquiry which identify that the general purpose of the Inquiry is for the Commission to make determinations with respect to British Columbia’s electricity transmission infrastructure and capacity needs for a 30‐year period commencing from the date the Inquiry begins; and E. The Terms of Reference direct, in part, that the Commission must publish the draft report on its determinations on or before June 30, 2010; and F. The Terms of Reference further direct the Commission to invite and consider submissions, evidence and presentations from any interested person, including, without limitation, First Nations, communities, BRIT ISH COLU MBIA U TIL IT IES COM MISSION ORDER NUMBER G ‐30‐09 TELEPHONE: (604) 660‐4700 BC TOLL FREE: 1‐800‐663‐1385 FACSIMILE: (604) 660‐1102 March 23, 2009 …/2
BRITISH COLUMBIA UTILITIES COMMISSION ORDER NUMBER G‐30‐09 2 municipal and regional governments, other utilities, power producers, ratepayer groups and environmental non‐governmental organizations; and G. The Terms of Reference provide that the Commission may make use of procedures to resolve specific issues within the Terms of Reference, including as the Commission considers appropriate, workshops, mediations, dispute resolution mechanisms, pre‐hearing conferences, working groups and oral and written public hearings; and H. The Commission has determined that it will be useful to hold a Preliminary Workshop for participants to discuss issues related to the Terms of Reference and the process to be used for the Inquiry, and that the Workshop will be followed by a Procedural Conference. NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows: 1. The Preliminary Workshop will take place on Friday, April 17, 2009 commencing at 9:00 a.m. at the Commission Hearing Room, 12 th Floor, 1125 Howe Street, Vancouver, B.C. 2. The Procedural Conference will take place on Monday, April 27, 2009, commencing at 9:00 a.m. at the Commission Hearing Room to discuss Inquiry procedures and timing, but will not address the scope of the issues. 3. British Columbia Transmission Corporation is directed to have the Notice of Preliminary Workshop and Procedural Conference, attached to this Order as Appendix A, published extensively in daily and weekly newspapers in British Columbia as soon as possible. DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 24 th day of March 2009. BY ORDER Original signed by: L.A. O’Hara Commissioner Attachment Orders/G‐30‐09_Transmission Inquiry ProcConf
APPENDIX A to Order G‐30‐09 Page 1 of 2 SIXTH FLOOR, 900 HOWE STREET, BOX 250 TELEPHONE: (604) 660‐4700 BC TOLL FREE: 1‐800‐663‐1385 VANCOUVER, B.C. V6Z 2N3 CANADA FACSIMILE: (604) 660‐1102 web site: http://www.bcuc.com LONG‐TERM ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION INQUIRY NOTICE OF PRELIMINARY WORKSHOP AND PROCEDURAL CONFERENCE BACKGROUND Pursuant to Terms of Reference issued by the Government on December 11, 2008, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (“Commission”) is conducting an Inquiry to make determinations with respect to British Columbia’s electricity transmission infrastructure and capacity needs for a 30‐year period. In order to reach its determinations, the Commission must assess (a) the electricity generation resources in B.C. that will potentially be developed during the 30‐year period, grouped by geographical location, and (b) the most‐cost‐effective and most probable sequence(s) of development by geographic area. In making its assessment, the Commission must consider various factors such as utility long‐term resource plans, domestic load requirements, export opportunities for clean, renewable or low‐carbon electricity, and areas in B.C. that will be inappropriate for development of generation resources, including but not limited to, parks and protected areas. The Commission must not make determinations on the merits of specific generation projects or with respect to the specific routing or technology of transmission projects. As required by Section 10(a) of the Terms of Reference, the Commission is inviting submissions, evidence and presentations from any interested person, First Nations, local governments, utilities, power producers, ratepayer groups, environmental non‐government organizations, and others on the matters that are the subject of the Inquiry. A full version of the Terms of Reference for the Inquiry can be found on the Commission’s website at www.bcuc.com. PARTICIPATION The Commission is hosting a Workshop on the Terms of Reference and Inquiry issues and processes. The Workshop will be followed by an initial Procedural Conference to discuss Inquiry timing and procedures. The times and place for both are shown below. Subject to comments heard at the Procedural Conference, the Commission is considering a subsequent Procedural Conference on the scope of the issues to be considered in the Inquiry. …/2
APPENDIX A to Order G‐30‐09 Page 2 of 2 Participant Registration: Thursday, April 9, 2009 Workshop: Friday, April 17, 2009, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Procedural Conference: Monday, April 27, 2009, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Location: Commission Hearing Room 12 th Floor 1125 Howe Street, Vancouver, B.C. Those who wish to participate in the Workshop and/or Procedural Conference are asked to contact Ms. Erica Hamilton, Commission Secretary, in order to receive any preliminary materials or to be notified in the event of a change in the time or location, by Thursday, April 9, 2009, as follows: Telephone: (604) 660‐4740 B.C. Toll Free: 1‐800‐663‐1385 Facsimile: (604) 660‐1102 E‐mail: commission.secretary@bcuc.com Those who wish to participate in the Inquiry but do not plan to attend the Workshop or the Procedural Conference are asked to register with the Commission Secretary by May 1, 2009. Interested Parties who do not wish to become full participants but who wish to receive copies of Commission Orders related to the Inquiry and the final report of the Inquiry Panel, are also asked to register with the Commission Secretary. Orders/G‐30‐09_Transmission Inquiry ProcConf
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