Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

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

and

Applications for Participant Assistance/Cost Awards

in the FortisBC Energy Inc. Application

for Approval of a Service Agreement for Compressed Natural Gas Service

with Waste Management of Canada Corporation

and

General Terms and Conditions for

Compressed Natural Gas and Liquefied Natural Gas Service

BEFORE:                 A.A. Rhodes, Panel Chair/Commissioner        

                                D.A. Cote, Commissioner                                                    November 3, 2011

                                D. Morton, Commissioner

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.       On December 1, 2010, FortisBC Energy Inc., formerly Terasen Gas Inc. (FEI), applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) for approval of a Service Agreement with Waste Management of Canada Corporation for compression and dispensing service for Compressed Natural Gas (WM Agreement);

B.       FEI also applied for acceptance of the expenditures required to provide compression and dispensing service for Compressed Natural Gas under the Waste Management Agreement pursuant to section 44.2 of the Utilities Commission Act (the Act);

C.       FEI also applied for approval of General Terms and Conditions for compression and dispensing service for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Service and transportation, delivery, fuel storage and dispensing service for Liquified Natural Gas (LNG)  Service for inclusion in future service agreements with customers pursuant to sections 59 to 61 of the Act, (collectively, the Application);

D.       FEI sought an expedited process for approval of the Waste Management Agreement, requesting a permanent rate on or before January 14, 2011, or, alternatively, approval of an interim rate pursuant to section 89 of the Act on or before that date;

E.        By Order G-181-10 dated December 6, 2010, the Commission established an expedited written hearing process for its consideration of the Waste Management Agreement, and established a written hearing process for the remainder of the Application;

F.        By Order G-6-11 dated January 14, 2011, the Commission approved the Waste Management Agreement on an interim basis, subject to certain changes; and subject to an amended version being refiled with the Commission in standard Tariff Supplement form on a non-confidential basis;

G.       On March 25, 2011, FEI submitted the amended Waste Management Agreement as Tariff Supplement J-1;

H.       FEI’s Reply Submission dated April 12, 2011 completed the written hearing process, and a Decision was issued on July 29, 2011 under Commission Order G-128-11;

I.         On April 15, 2011, the British Columbia Public Interest Advocacy Centre, on behalf of the British Columbia Old Age Pensioners Organization et al. (BCOAPO), submitted a Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) application for its participation in the proceeding;

J.         On May 6, 2011, the BC Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA) submitted a PACA application for its participation in the proceeding;

K.       On May 12, 2011, the Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia (CEC) submitted a PACA application for its participation in the proceeding;

L.        By letter dated September 8, 2011, FEI commented that it is of the view that the BCSEA, CEC and BCOAPO PACA applications are not unreasonable;

M.     The Commission has reviewed the PACA applications and comments from FEI with regard to the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines attached as Appendix A to Order G-72-07 and concluded that PACA funding should be awarded to BCSEA, BCOAPO and CEC in the amounts set out in the respective applications.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows:

1.     Pursuant to section 118 (1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the Commission awards funds to the following participants with respect to their participation in the FEI CNG LNG proceeding:

2.     FEI is directed to reimburse BCSEA, BCOAPO and CEC for the respective amounts that have been awarded in a timely manner.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this    Third       day of November 2011.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

                                                                                                                                Original signed by:

                                                                                                                                A. A. Rhodes

                                                                                                                                Panel Chair