IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, Chapter 473
and
Application
for Participant Assistance/Cost Award
in the Filing by FortisBC Energy Inc.
Gas Supply Incentive Mitigation Program for 2011/2012 Year
BEFORE: L.F. Kelsey, Commissioner
C.A. Brown, Commissioner
N.E. MacMurchy, Commissioner April 25, 2013
B.A. Magnan, Commissioner
D.M. Morton, Commissioner
R.D. Revel, Commissioner
O R D E R
WHEREAS:
A. By Order G-163-11 dated September 22, 2011, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) approved the FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) Gas Supply Mitigation Incentive Program (GSMIP) as described by the Term Sheet appended to the Order for the November 1, 2011 to October 31, 2013 period;
B. On December 13, 2012, FEI filed a GSMIP Year End Report with the Commission for the period from November 2011 to October 2012 (Filing);
C. The review process of the Filing included written submissions and a teleconference meeting with members of the Working Group that developed the Term Sheet, including the participation of the British Columbia Public Interest Advocacy Centre (BCPIAC) on behalf of the British Columbia Pensioners’ and Seniors’ Organization (BCPSO);
D. On March 28, 2013, BCPIAC, on behalf of its client BCPSO, filed a Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) application with the Commission, with respect to its participation in the GSMIP Filing;
E. By Letter L-22-13 dated April 5, 2013, the Commission accepted the calculation of the incentive payment for the 2011/2012 gas year as proposed in the Filing;
F. On April 12, 2013, FEI indicated it had no comments on BCPSO’s PACA application;
G. The Commission has reviewed BCPSO’s PACA application with regard to the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines in Commission Order G-72-07, and concluded that cost awards should be approved for the amount set out in the PACA application.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to sections 118(1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the Commission orders as follows:
1. Approval of cost award for the British Columbia Public Interest Advocacy Centre on behalf of the British Columbia Pensioners’ and Seniors’ Organization in the amount of $1,890.00, for its participation in the FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) Gas Supply Mitigation Incentive Program 2011/2012 Year review.
2. FEI is directed to reimburse the above-noted participant in a timely manner.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 25th day of April 2013.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
D.M. Morton
Commissioner