Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, Chapter 473

and

An Application by British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

for the Stave Falls Spillway Gates Replacement Project

BEFORE:               L.F. Kelsey, Commissioner                                                           January 11, 2010

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.      On December 23, 2009, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (“BC Hydro”) filed an application (the “Application”) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (the “Commission”) under section 44.2(1)(b) for acceptance, pursuant to sections 44.2(3)(a) of the Utilities Commission Act (the “Act”), that capital expenditures BC Hydro anticipates making in respect of the Stave Falls Spillway Gates Replacement Project (“Project”) are in the public interest; and

B.      The Project has an estimated capital cost of approximately  $61.5 million, funded entirely by BC Hydro’s ratepayers, which includes costs to date and costs for the spillway gate design, supply and install contract, protection and control (“P&C”) materials and installation, additional equipment and retirement items, design and design support during construction, construction management and resident engineering services, indirect BC Hydro support plus contingency, inflation, interest during construction (IDC) and capital overhead; and

C.    BC Hydro will hold a Workshop on the Application on January 18, 2010 in the BC Hydro Edmonds Main Auditorium at 6911 South Point Drive in Burnaby, BC, commencing at 1:00 p.m.; and

D.   The Commission has determined that a written public hearing is needed for the review of the Application.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows:

1.         A Written Public Hearing is established for the review of the Application, according to the Regulatory Timetable as set out in Appendix A to this Order.

2.         The Commission requires BC Hydro to publish, as soon as possible, in display ad format, the Notice attached as Appendix B to this Order in the Vancouver Sun and Province newspapers.

3.     The Commission requires BC Hydro to provide a copy of this order to the First Nations considered to be relevant for inclusion in the consultation activities on the Project though their Chief and Council contacts.

4.    The Application, together with any supporting materials, will be made available for inspection at the BC Hydro Office, 333 Dunsmuir Street, BC V6B 5R3, and the British Columbia Utilities Commission, Sixth Floor, 900 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC. V6Z 2N3.

5.    Intervenors or Interested Parties should register with the Commission, in writing or by electronic submission, by Tuesday, February 9, 2010.  Intervenors should specifically state the nature of their interest in the Application and identify generally the nature of the issues that they may intend to pursue during the proceeding and the nature and extent of their anticipated involvement in the review process.

6.    Any party intending to file for a Participant Assistance Cost Award (“PACA”) must submit its PACA budget, pursuant to the PACA Guidelines attached to Order G-72-07 to the Commission, by Monday, February 22, 2010.  (A complete description of the PACA Guidelines is available at the Commission’s web site:

http://www.bcuc.com/Documents/Guidelines/Participant/Guide.pdf)

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this    11^th       day of January 2010.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

                                                                                                                                Original signed by:

                                                                                                                                L.F. Kelsey

Commissioner

Attachments

An Application by British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

for the Stave Falls Spillway Gates Replacement Project

Regulatory Timetable

                                                 An Application by British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

for the Stave Falls Spillway Gates Replacement Project

NOTICE OF APPLICATION AND WRITTEN PUBLIC HEARING

THE APPLICATION

On December 23, 2009, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (“BC Hydro”) applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission for approval pursuant to sections 44.2(3)(a) of the Utilities Commission Act (the “Act”), that capital expenditures BC Hydro anticipates making in respect of the Stave Falls Spillway Gates Replacement Project (“Project”), in the vicinity of Mission BC, are in the public interest.

The Project has an estimated capital cost of approximately $61.5 million, funded entirely by BC Hydro’s ratepayers, which includes costs for the spillway gate design and supply and install contracts.

THE REGULATORY PROCESS

Commission Order G-7-10 established the Regulatory Timetable for the review of the Application by way of a Written Public Hearing.

BC Hydro will hold a Workshop on the Project in its Edmonds Main Auditorium, 6911 South Point Drive, Burnaby, BC, on Monday, January 18, 2010, commencing at 1:00 p.m.

The detailed Regulatory Timetable can be reviewed on the Commission’s website http://www.bcuc.com >Proceedings&Agendas>Current Applications.

INTERVENTIONS

Persons who expect to actively participate in the BC Hydro proceeding should register as Intervenors with the Commission, in writing, by Tuesday, February 9, 2010, identifying their interest in the Application.  Intervenors will receive copies of the Application as well as all correspondence and filed documentation and should provide an email address if available.

Persons not expecting to actively participate in the BC Hydro proceeding, but who have an interest in the Application, should register as Interested Parties with the Commission, in writing, by Tuesday, February 9, 2010, identifying their interest in the Application.  Interested Parties will receive a copy of the Executive Summary of the Application and all Orders issued.

All submissions and/or correspondence received from active participants or the general public relating to the Application will be placed on the public record and posted to the Commission’s web site.

PUBLIC INSPECTION OF THE DOCUMENTS

The Application and supporting materials will be available for inspection at the following locations:

FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information, please contact the Commission Secretary, Ms. Erica Hamilton as follows: