IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, Chapter 473
and
An Application by FortisBC Energy (Whistler) Inc.
for Approval to Dispose of Part of the Propane Assets pursuant to Section 52 of the
Utilities Commission Act and British Columbia Utilities Commission Order G-53-06
BEFORE: B.A. Magnan, Commissioner
R.D. Revel, Commissioner March 7, 2013
C. van Wermeskerken, Commissioner
O R D E R
WHEREAS:
A. On February 15, 2013, FortisBC Energy (Whistler) Inc. (FEW) applied for approval to dispose of two vacant land sites no longer required for its utility operations in the Resort Municipality of Whistler (Whistler) as a result of the system conversion from propane to natural gas (the Application);
B. British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) Order C‐3‐06 granted a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to construct the Whistler Pipeline and convert the Whistler propane system to natural gas and also granted permission to discontinue propane service to Whistler when natural gas service was fully in place;
C. The Commission previously approved, in Orders G-53-06, C-3-06 and G-35-09, the discontinuance of propane service in Whistler and the accounting treatments of the proceeds from the disposition of propane assets after service discontinuance;
D. Section 52 of the Utilities Commission Act states:
“a public utility must not, without first obtaining the commission’s approval, … dispose of … part of its property” and the “commission may give its approval under this section subject to conditions and requirements considered necessary or desirable in the public interest.”;
E. FEW has requested, for commercial reasons, that this Application and its Appendices be held confidential by the Commission until the Application has been approved by the Commission and the sale transactions finalized, after which time the Application, Appendices and Decision can become public;
F. The Commission reviewed the Application and has determined that the ratepayers will be positively impacted.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 52 of the Utilities Commission Act, the Commission approves the FEW Application for the disposition of two land assets in Whistler that are no longer required by FEW for current operations, and determines that the Application and this Order will remain confidential until FEW confirms the sale transactions have been finalized.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 7th day of March 2013.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
B.A. Magnan
Commissioner