LETTER NO. L‐91‐09 SIXTH FLOOR, 900 HOWE STREET, BOX 250 ERICA M. HAMILTON VANCOUVER, B.C. CANADA V6Z 2N3 COMMISSION SECRETARY TELEPHONE: (604) 660‐4700 Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com BC TOLL FREE: 1‐800‐663‐1385 web site: http://www.bcuc.com FACSIMILE: (604) 660‐1102 Log No. 27984 VIA E‐MAIL janet.fraser@bctc.com, bctc.regulatory@bctc.com bchydroregulatorygroup@bchydro.com October 9, 2009 SECTION 5 TRANSMISSION INQUIRY EXHIBIT A‐32 Ms. Janet Fraser Ms. Joanna Sofield Director, Regulatory Affairs Chief Regulatory Officer British Columbia Transmission Corporation British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority Suite 1100, Four Bentall Centre 17th Floor ‐ 333 Dunsmuir Street 1055 Dunsmuir Street PO Box 49260 Vancouver, BC V6B 5R3 Vancouver, BC V7X 1V5 Dear Ms. Fraser and Ms. Sofield: Re: British Columbia Utilities Commission Project No. 3698545/Order G‐30‐09 Inquiry into British Columbia’s Long‐Term Transmission Infrastructure Requests dated October 7, 2009 for an Extension to Filing Deadline By Order G‐47‐09 dated May 4, 2009 (Exhibit A‐7), the Inquiry Panel released a Preliminary Inquiry Schedule stating that British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (“BC Hydro”), the British Columbia Transmission Corporation (“BCTC”) and FortisBC Inc. (“Fortis”) would file their base data, initial scenarios and the transmission implications of those scenarios by September 18, 2009. On September 17, 2009, the Commission received letters from both BC Hydro and BCTC requesting an extension for the filing of their initial evidence until September 25, 2009 (Exhibits B1‐8 and B2‐11). The Inquiry Panel granted the requests by Letter L‐80‐09 dated September 21, 2009 (Exhibit A‐23). On September 24, 2009, the Commission again received letters from both BC Hydro and BCTC requesting an extension for the filing of their initial evidence until October 2, 2009 (Exhibits B1‐9 and B2‐12). The Commission also received two letters of comment on the September 24 requests, neither of which opposed the requested delay. The Inquiry Panel again granted the requests by Letter L‐84‐09 dated September 28, 2009 (Exhibit A‐25). In the letter granting the second request, the Inquiry Panel expressed its concern about the impact of the delays in filing the initial evidence on the Inquiry timeline and on the ability of Participants to prepare for the upcoming regional sessions. On October 1, 2009, the Commission received letters from BC Hydro and BCTC requesting a third delay in filing their initial evidence, until early in the week of October 5, 2009. The Inquiry Panel granted the third extension by Letter L‐89‐09 dated October 2, 2009 (Exhibit A‐27). The Inquiry Panel reiterated that the continued delays serve to further enhance the concerns raised in Exhibit A‐25 and strongly urged the utilities to file as early as possible the following week. . . ./2
2 By letters dated October 7, 2009, BCTC (Exhibit B1‐11) and BC Hydro (Exhibit B2‐16) request a fourth delay in filing what they respectively describe as their “Initial Information” and “Information for Discussion” (collectively, “Initial Information”). BCTC states that it is undertaking some changes to its Initial Information filing based on a policy level review by government. BCTC has said that it will endeavour to file its Initial Information in advance of the October 28, 2009 Procedural Conference. The Inquiry Panel grants the fourth extension and acknowledges BCTC’s view in its October 7, 2009 letter that: “… the Preliminary Inquiry Schedule provided in Appendix A to Order G‐47‐09 will require some changes and BCTC will provide suggestions to the Panel at the Fourth Procedural Conference on 28 October 2009.” In its letter, BC Hydro describes linkages to the BCTC filing and accordingly requests to file at the same time. BC Hydro agrees with BCTC that the Preliminary Inquiry Schedule will require changes and states that: “BC Hydro intends to provide the BCUC and Transmission Inquiry Participants with its views on scheduling changes in advance of the BCUC's Fourth Procedural Conference scheduled for October 28, 2009.” While the Inquiry Panel grants a fourth extension for the filing of the Initial Information, a consequence of the delay means that it is highly unlikely that the Initial Information from BCTC or BC Hydro will be available for discussion at any of the first four Regional Sessions that the Inquiry Panel has previously scheduled. It will certainly not be available for the Regional Session scheduled for Fort St. John. Accordingly, the Inquiry Panel will be issuing a letter to Participants postponing the first four Regional Sessions and intends to reschedule them at a later date. In addition to the postponement of the first four Regional Sessions, further significant changes to the Inquiry schedule may well be required, and the Inquiry Panel requests that Participants be prepared to address scheduling for the remainder of the Inquiry at the Procedural Conference currently scheduled for October 28, 2009. The Initial Information to be filed by BC Hydro and BCTC will be useful for informing the discussion about further scheduling and the Inquiry Panel continues to urge the utilities to file as soon as possible. Yours truly, Original signed by: Erica M. Hamilton /ac cc: Registered Participants (Transmsn‐Inquiry‐RI) PF/Section 5 Inquiry/A‐32_BCH‐BCTC Third Evidence Filing Extension
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