ORDER NUMBER
G-179-17
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
Interior to Lower Mainland Project
Compliance Filing Pursuant to Order C-4-08
Final Report – Extension Request
BEFORE:
D. M. Morton, Commissioner
D. J. Enns, Commissioner
W. M. Everett, Commissioner
M. Kresivo, Commissioner
B. A. Magnan, Commissioner
R. I. Mason, Commissioner
R. D. Revel, Commissioner
December 7, 2017
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A.
On October 11, 2017, British Columbia Hydro and
Power Authority (BC Hydro)
filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) a request to
further extend the filing date of the Interior to Lower Mainland (ILM) Project
Final Report (Final Report) from December 31, 2017 to December 31, 2018
(Request). The Request would vary Directive 3 of Order C-4-08, as amended by Orders
G-112-16 and
G-10-17, which directed BC Hydro to file with the Commission a Final Report
within six months of the end or substantial completion of the ILM Project;
B. On November 5, 2007, the British Columbia Transmission Corporation, now part of BC Hydro, applied pursuant to sections 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for the ILM Project;
C. On August 5, 2008, the Commission issued Order C-4-08 granting a CPCN for the ILM Project subject to the conditions and directions set out in the Order and Decision;
D.
On January 29, 2016, BC Hydro filed with the
Commission its Fiscal 2016 Q3 Quarterly Progress Report
No. 29 which, amongst other things, specified it would be the last quarterly
report as the ILM transmission line is now in service and the Final Report for
the ILM Project will be submitted in June 2016;
E. On June 20, 2016, BC Hydro filed with the Commission a request to extend the filing date of the ILM Project Final Report from June 30, 2016 to January 31, 2017;
F. On July 14, 2016, the Commission issued Order G-112-16 granting an extension to the filing date of the ILM Project Final Report from June 30, 2016 to January 31, 2017;
G. On December 13, 2016, BC Hydro filed with the Commission a request to extend the filing date of the ILM Project Final Report as BC Hydro is proceeding with a consolidated arbitration process to resolve outstanding claims;
H. On January 26, 2017, the Commission issued Order G-10-17 granting an extension to the filing date of the ILM Project Final Report to no later than December 31, 2017;
I. BC Hydro submits that it requires additional time as it continues to proceed with a consolidated arbitration process to resolve outstanding claims and this process is taking longer than anticipated. The issuance of a decision on the arbitration is now anticipated prior to mid-2018; and
J.
The Commission has reviewed BC Hydro’s Request
and has determined a variance to Directive 3 of Order
C-4-08 as amended by Orders G-112-16 and G-10-17 is warranted.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 77 of the Utilities Commission Act, the Commission orders as follows:
1. BC Hydro’s request for an extension to filing the ILM Project Final Report and thus a variance to Directive 3 of Order C-4-08, as amended by Orders G-112-16 and G-10-17, is granted.
2. BC Hydro must file with the Commission the ILM Project Final Report no later than December 31, 2018.
3. BC Hydro must provide the Commission with both an ILM Project update report by January 31, 2018 and a second update report by July 31, 2018 if the ILM Project Final Report has not already been submitted.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 7th day of December 2017.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
D. M. Morton
Commissioner