Orders

ORDER NUMBER

F-3-19

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

FortisBC Energy Inc.

Application for Acceptance of 2019‐2022 Demand Side Management Expenditures Plan

Participant Assistance/Cost Award Application

BEFORE:

R. I. Mason, Panel Chair/Commissioner

A. K. Fung, QC, Commissioner

R. D. Revel, Commissioner

on January 24, 2019

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On June 22, 2018, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) submitted its Application for Acceptance of 2019‐2022 Demand Side Management (DSM) Expenditures Plan (Application) pursuant to section 44.2 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA);

B.      On July 25, 2018, by Order G‐138‐18, the BCUC established a written public hearing process for the review of the Application, providing for one round of BCUC and intervener information requests (IRs), final arguments from FEI and interveners, and reply argument from FEI;

C.      By August 16, 2018, the following registered as interveners: British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro); Movement of United Professionals (MoveUp); BC Sustainable Energy Association and Sierra Club BC (BCSEA-SCBC); Catalyst Paper Corporation (Catalyst); Commercial Energy Consumer Association of British Columbia (CEC); and British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. (BCOAPO);

D.      On August 22, 2018, the BCUC submitted IRs to FEI, and on August 30, 2018, BCOAPO, BCSEA-SCBC, CEC and MoveUp submitted IRs to FEI. On October 11, 2018, FEI filed its final argument. On October 25, 2018, final arguments were filed by BCOAPO, BCSEA-SCBC, CEC and MoveUp. On November 1, 2018, FEI filed its reply argument;

E.       On January 17, 2019, by Order G-10-19 with Reasons for Decision, the BCUC accepted FEI’s 2019‑2022 DSM expenditure schedule;

F.       The following participants filed Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) applications with the BCUC with respect to their participation in the proceeding:

G.      By letter dated December 27, 2018, FEI provided its comments on the PACA applications, stating that if the BCUC is satisfied that the participants have met the eligibility requirements, that the funding days claimed is appropriate, and that the level of participation has met with the BCUC’s criteria and requirements, then FEI has no further comment; and

H.      The BCUC has reviewed the PACA applications in accordance with the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines, attached to BCUC Order G-97-17 and concludes that the requested cost awards should be approved.

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 118(1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the BCUC orders as follows:

1.       Funding is awarded to the following interveners in the listed amounts for their participation in the FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) Application for Acceptance of 2019‐2022 Demand Side Management Expenditures Plan proceeding:

2.       FEI is directed to reimburse the above-noted participants for the awarded amounts in a timely manner.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this             24^th             day of January 2019.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

R. I. Mason

Commissioner