Orders

IN THE MATTER OF

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

and

FortisBC Inc.

Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity

for the Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project

BEFORE:                 L.F. Kelsey, Commissioner

                                D.M. Morton, Commissioner                                              September 25, 2012

                                N.E. MacMurchy, Commissioner

O  R  D  E  R

WHEREAS:

A.       On July 26, 2012, FortisBC Inc. (FortisBC) applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission), pursuant to sections 45, 46, and 56 of the Utilities Commission Act (the Act), for approval of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Project (Project), including approval of a revised depreciation rate for the proposed meters to be installed (the Application);

B.       On August 2, 2012, the Commission issued Order G-105-12 establishing a Preliminary Regulatory Timetable that requested comments on the need to hold Community Input Sessions in the areas of Trail, Osoyoos, and Kelowna by Friday, September 7, 2012;

C.       On September 13, 2012, the Commission issued Order G-124-12 establishing an amended Preliminary Regulatory Timetable that requested comments on the need to hold Community Input Sessions in the areas of Trail, Osoyoos, and Kelowna by Friday, September 14, 2012;

D.       Of the seventeen Interveners registered, seven responded to the Commission’s invitation to provide comment on the need for Community Input Sessions and supported the need to hold Community Input Sessions;

E.        Only the Commercial Energy Consumers Association of BC submits that it is not in the public interest to hold Commission-led Community Input Sessions.  However, the Commission finds that it is in the public interest for these sessions to be led by the Commission so that members of the public can have their comments placed on the official record similar to Intervener-entered evidence.  Furthermore, the Commission Panel is interested in hearing the broad public interest in the Application;

F.        On September 21, 2012, Commission Panel issued a letter, Exhibit A-6, stating the Commission Panel has considered the submissions received and determined that Commission-led Community Input Sessions will be held in the areas of Trail, Osoyoos, and Kelowna during the week of November 5, 2012;

G.       The Commission Panel has considered the submissions received by parties with respect to the need for Community Input Sessions and is persuaded that there is a public interest in offering the Commission-led sessions as proposed, subject to a minimum registration.  The Commission Panel now establishes the date, time and location for the Community Input Sessions.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows:

1.       The Commission establishes the amended Preliminary Regulatory Timetable as set out in Appendix A.

2.       The Community Input Sessions regarding the Application will be held:

1. On Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at Trail.
2. On Wednesday, November 7, 2012, at Osoyoos.
3. On Thursday, November 8, 2012, at Kelowna.

All Community Input Sessions will commence at 3:00 p.m. and end at 9:00 p.m. with a one hour break between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

3.       Subject to leave being granted by the Chair, members of the public, who have not notified Commission Counsel by Monday, October 15, 2012 and who wish to make a presentation at the Community Input Sessions are requested to advise Commission Counsel at least 15 minutes prior to the commencement of the afternoon or evening Community Input Session.

4.       A short information session will be held on how to participate in a Commission proceeding at 5:45 p.m. prior to the commencement of each evening Community Input Session.

5.       FortisBC will publish, as soon as possible, in display-ad format, a Notice of Community Input Sessions attached as Appendix B, in the Vancouver Sun, the Province, other local newspapers within its service area, as well as the wholesale areas serviced by FortisBC.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this      28^th     day of September 2012.

                                                                                                                                BY ORDER

                                                                                                                            Original signed by:

                                                                                                                                D.M. Morton

                                                                                                                                Commissioner

Attachments

FortisBC Inc.

Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity

for the Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project

AMENDED PRELIMINARY

REGULATORY TIMETABLE

Notes:

1.     All Community Input Sessions will commence at 3:00 p.m. and end at 9:00 p.m. with a one hour break between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

2.     A short information session will be held on how to participate in a commission proceeding at 5:45 p.m. prior to the commencement of the evening Community Input Sessions.

FortisBC Inc.

Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity

for the Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project

THE APPLICATION

On July 26, 2012, FortisBC Inc. (FortisBC) applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission), pursuant to sections 45, 46, and 56 of the Utilities Commission Act (the Act), for approval of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Project (Project), including approval of a revised depreciation rate for the proposed meters to be installed (the Application).

The Application estimates the capital cost of the Project to be $47.7 million and expects the Project to commence in late 2013 and be completed by 2015.  FortisBC proposes to install 115,000 residential and commercial AMI meters.  To maintain firm contract vendor pricing, FortisBC requests approval of the proposed Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity by July 20, 2013.

On September 28, 2012, the Commission issued Order G-137-12 establishing the amended Preliminary Regulatory Timetable and the Community Input Sessions for this Application.

THE COMMUNITY INPUT SESSION

The Community Input Sessions will provide Members of the public an opportunity to make presentations to the Commission Panel on the AMI Project, and the presentations will be recorded.  Each presentation will be limited to 15 minutes.  All parties making submissions at the Community Input Sessions are encouraged to provide a hard copy of their submissions for filing on the official record.

Parties wishing to make a presentation to the Commission Panel should contact Mr. Gordon Fulton, Commission Counsel, at gfulton@boughton.ca or (604) 647-4104 by Monday, October 15, 2012.  If by Wednesday, October 17, 2012 four or less presentations are scheduled for a Community Input Session, then that Community Input Session will be cancelled.  Notice of cancellation of a Community Input Session will be provided to those who register with the Commission Secretary for the Community Input Session.

A short information session will be held on how to participate in a Commission proceeding at 5:45 p.m. prior to the commencement of the evening Community Input Sessions.  An information letter will be posted to the Commission’s proceeding website providing Participants with procedural information on the Community Input Session.

All submissions and/or correspondence received from active participants or the 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 documents will also be available for view on the Commission’s website at http://www.bcuc.com.

For further information or to register, please contact Ms. Erica Hamilton, Commission Secretary, as follows:

                                Telephone:  (604) 660-4700                             E-Mail:  Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com

                                Facsimile:  (604) 660-1102                                Telephone:  BC Toll Free: 1-800-663-1385