Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-155-17

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

FortisBC Inc.

2016 Long Term Electric Resource Plan and

2016 Long Term Demand Side Management Plan

BEFORE:

H. G. Harowitz, Panel Chair/Commissioner

D. J. Enns, Commissioner

M. Kresivo, QC, Commissioner

on October 06, 2017

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On September 15, 2017, FortisBC Inc. (FBC) filed 2016 Long Term Electric Resource Plan (2016 LTERP) and Long Term Demand-Side Management Plan (2016 LTDSM Plan) Errata (Errata) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission).

B.      In the Errata, FBC submits it has determined that two errors exist in the assumptions supporting the British Columbia Conservation Potential Review for the FBC service territory (the CPR Report), which was included as Appendix A to the 2016 LTDSM Plan;

C.      On November 30, 2016, FBC applied to the Commission pursuant to section 44.1(6) of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) for acceptance of its 2016 LTERP and 2016 LTDSM Plan, as Volumes 1 and 2, respectively (Application);

D.      The 2016 LTERP presents a long term plan for meeting the forecast peak and energy requirements of FBC customers with demand-side and supply-side resources over the next 20 years. The 2016 LTERP includes a preferred portfolio to meet the long term requirements of FBC customers as well as an action plan that identifies activities that FBC expects to take during the first four years of the 20-year planning horizon;

E.       The 2016 LTDSM Plan includes an assessment of the energy efficiency and conservation potential for FBC customers. It provides FBC with different levels of demand-side resource options to assess along with supply-side resource options in order to address the forecast load-resource balance gaps identified in the 2016 LTERP over the 20-year planning horizon. The 2016 LTDSM Plan also identifies FBC’s preferred DSM scenario for long term planning purposes;

F.       Section 44.1(5) of the UCA provides that the Commission may establish a process to review a long-term resource plan;

G.      By Order G-197-16, the Commission established a written hearing for review of the Application and a regulatory timetable. The regulatory timetable was subsequently amended by Order G-102-17 and G-107-17;

H.      On August 25, 2017, FBC filed an application to suspend the regulatory timetable established by Order G-107-17 (Request for Suspension). In the Request for Suspension, FBC indicated that it identified errors in the assumptions supporting the CPR Report for the FBC service territory, and is conducting an evaluation of the impact of these errors to determine whether there is a resulting impact to the 2016 LTERP and/or 2016 LTDSM Plan;

I.        By Order G-134-17 dated August 29, 2017, the Commission suspended the regulatory timetable for the 2016 LTERP and 2016 LTDSM Plan until further notice;

J.        On September 8, 2017, FBC filed a letter with the Commission informing the Commission that it intends to file errata to the 2016 LTERP and LTDSM Plan on or before September 15, 2017, and proposing that the regulatory timetable be amended to permit interveners to review the errata and to comment on whether further process is required before proceeding to the Final Argument stage of the proceeding;

K.      By Order G-139-17 dated September 13, 2017, the Commission established the regulatory timetable setting out dates for: i) FBC to file the errata by September 15, 2017, and ii) interveners to review the errata and to comment on further process by September 29, 2017;  

L.       On September 15, 2017, FBC filed the errata, including a comment on further process;

M.    By September 29, 2017, the Commission received comments on further process from the Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia, B.C. Sustainable Energy Association and Sierra Club B.C., Industrial Customers Group, British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al., and Mr. Andy Shadrack;

N.     On October 2, 2017, FBC submitted a letter with additional comments on its position on further process. The letter was not considered by the Panel as it was submitted outside of the requirements of the Regulatory Timetable as set by Order G-139-17; and

O.     The Panel has considered the errata and parties’ comments on further process, and is of the view that information request on the errata is not warranted and it is appropriate that the review process continue with submission of final arguments.

NOW THEREFORE the Commission orders that the review of the Application is to resume in accordance to the regulatory timetable attached as Appendix A to this order.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                  6^th            day of October 2017.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

H. G. Harowitz

Commissioner

Attachment

FortisBC Inc.

2016 Long Term Electric Resource Plan and

2016 Long Term Demand Side Management Plan