IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, Chapter 473
and
A Filing by FortisBC Inc.
of Proposed Energy Supply Contracts for 2013-2015
BEFORE: L.F. Kelsey, Commissioner
D.M. Morton, Commissioner July 11, 2013
B.A. Magnan, Commissioner
C. van Wermeskerken, Commissioner
O R D E R
WHEREAS:
A. The FortisBC Inc. (FortisBC) 2012 Long Term Resource Plan was accepted in part by the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) on August 15, 2012, via Commission Order G-110-12 in the Decision regarding the FortisBC 2012-2013 Revenue Requirements and Review of the 2012 Integrated System Plan proceeding. The 2012 Long Term Resource Plan contemplates wholesale market power purchases over the short term (2011-2015) to meet energy and capacity needs;
B. On June 21, 2013, pursuant to section 71 of the Utilities Commission Act, FortisBC filed with the Commission an application for approval to enter into proposed Energy Supply Contracts (the Proposed Agreement(s)) for purchase of capacity and energy (Application), and the Proposed Agreement(s) would be made pursuant to the Western System Power Pool Agreement;
C. FortisBC would enter into the Proposed Agreement(s) for Product 1 from October 2013 to March 2014, for Product 2 from October 2014 to March 2015, and for Product 3 from October 2013 to February 2014;
D. FortisBC requested that the information in the Application and the Proposed Agreement(s) be kept confidential due to its commercially sensitive nature;
E. On June 27, 2013, Commission staff issued an Information Request to FortisBC and FortisBC submitted a response to this Information Request on July 4, 2013;
F. The Commission has considered the Proposed Agreement(s) and the proposed process FortisBC intends to use to acquire power from other persons in accordance with those terms and conditions (Proposed Process) and the Commission has determined that they are in the public interest.
NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders as follows:
1. Pursuant to section 71, subsections 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5 of the Utilities Commission Act, the Proposed Agreement(s) and Proposed Process are approved.
2. The Commission will keep the Application, FortisBC’s response to the Commission staff Information Request and the Proposed Agreement(s) confidential.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, In the Province of British Columbia, this 12th day of July 2013.
BY ORDER
Original Signed by:
D.M. Morton
Commissioner