ORDER NUMBER
G-2-19
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
Application Requesting Consent under section 63 of the Utilities Commission Act to
Waive Certain Charges for Customers under Evacuation Orders and Evacuation Alerts
BEFORE:
B. A. Magnan, Commissioner
on January 3, 2019
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On October 24, 2018, pursuant to section 63 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for consent to waive certain charges for residential and general service customers in BC Hydro’s service territory subject to evacuation orders and alerts (Evacuee Customers), for the period of September 30, 2018 to March 31, 2019, due to the landslide at Old Fort (2018 Old Fort Landslide) (Application);
B. BC Hydro in its Application proposes the following:
1. Providing a credit to customers for the basic charges and energy charges as set out in the specific Rate Schedules under which customers receive service (Applicable Charges). The credit will be for the period customers were under an evacuation order resulting from the 2018 Old Fort Landslide (Applicable Period) and will be applied as follows:
i. General Service – Basic Charge and Energy Charge.
ii. Residential Service – Basic Charge and Energy Charge.
2. Providing a credit to Evacuee Customers whose dwelling were destroyed by landslide during the 2018 Old Fort Landslide for all charges for service for the period immediately after the last billing period before the destruction;
3. Providing a credit for the Service Connection Charge as set out in Section 3.14 of BC Hydro’s Electric Tariff for residential Evacuee Customers constructing a new dwelling if their prior dwelling was destroyed by landslide during the Old Fort Landslide and if the connection charge is not recoverable as part of their insurance; and
4. Waiving or not calculating the Late Payment Charge set out in section 6.3 of BC Hydro’s Electric Tariff for a customer under an evacuation alert resulting from the Old Fort Landslide until after the evacuation alert has been lifted and providing the option of a flexible bill payment plan, such as delaying bill payments to a later date.
C. BC Hydro further proposes that the revenue reduction resulting from providing bill credits and waivers to Evacuee Customers will be to the account of the shareholder; and
D. The BCUC has reviewed the Application and considers that consent is warranted.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 63 of the UCA the BCUC orders as follows:
1. The BCUC hereby consents to BC Hydro providing bill credits and waivers for customers affected by the2018 Old Fort Landslide by:
a. Providing a credit for the Applicable Charges that would otherwise have applied during the Applicable Period to customers under evacuation orders;
b. Providing a credit to Evacuee Customers whose dwelling was destroyed by landslide during the 2018 Old Fort Landslide for all service charges for the period immediately after the last billing period before the destruction;
c. Providing a credit for the Service Connection Charge as set out in Section 3.14 of BC Hydro's Electric Tariff for residential Evacuee Customers constructing a new dwelling if their prior dwelling was destroyed by landslide during the 2018 Old Fort Landslide and if the connection charge is not recoverable as part of their insurance; and
d. Waiving or not calculating the Late Payment Charge set out in section 6.3 of BC Hydro’s Electric Tariff for a customer under an evacuation alert resulting from the Old Fort Landslide until after the evacuation alert has been lifted and providing the option of a flexible bill payment plan, such as delaying bill payments to a later date.
2. The revenue reduction resulting from BC Hydro providing bill credits and waivers to Evacuee Customers during the 2018 Old Fort Landslide will be to the account of the shareholder.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 3rd day of January 2019.
BY ORDER
Original Signed by:
B. A. Magnan
Commissioner