Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-24-19

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Review of the Regulatory Oversight of Capital Expenditures and Projects

BEFORE:

K. A. Keilty, Commissioner/Panel Chair

W. M. Everett, Q.C., Commissioner

R. I. Mason, Commissioner

on January 31, 2019

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On May 3, 2016, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) issued Order G-58-16, establishing a proceeding to review the regulatory oversight of British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority’s (BC Hydro) capital expenditures and projects (Review);

B.      By Order G-193-18 dated October 11, 2018, the BCUC set out a regulatory timetable which included the filing of evidence by the Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia (CEC), and the filing of rebuttal evidence by BC Hydro;

C.      On November 5, 2018, CEC filed evidence with the BCUC;

D.      By letter dated November 23, 2018, BC Hydro requested an extension to the filing deadline for its rebuttal evidence, which the BCUC approved by Order G-223-18 dated November 27, 2018.

E.       By Order G-226-18 dated November 29, 2018, the BCUC issued an amended regulatory timetable;

F.       By letter dated January 22, 2019 (Exhibit B-13) BC Hydro requested an extension for filing its rebuttal evidence to February 15, 2019. BC Hydro submits that to a large extent, the resources required to prepare the rebuttal evidence are the same as those needed to prepare the F2020-F2021 Revenue Requirements and Rates Application (RRA), and additionally that many of BC Hydro’s resources for the Review are also supporting the Supply Chain Applications Project and the Reliability Coordinator Application before the BCUC. BC Hydro also believes it would be beneficial to adjust the future process steps in the Review until after BC Hydro has filed its F2020-F2021 RRA;

G.      By Order G-16-19 dated January 23, 2019, the BCUC determined that the regulatory timetable established by Order G-226-18 be suspended, pending further submissions from interveners on BC Hydro’s letter dated January 22, 2019, with reply from BC Hydro;

H.      By January 28, 2019, British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. (BCOAPO), BC Sustainable Energy Association and Sierra Club BC (BCSEA), CEC, and Movement of United Professionals (MoveUp) filed letters indicating support for BC Hydro’s extension request;

I.        By letter dated January 30, 2019, BC Hydro submitted that it has no further comment following the intervener submissions; and

J.        The BCUC has reviewed BC Hydro’s request and the submissions of interveners and determines that a further regulatory timetable for the Review is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders that a further regulatory timetable for the Review be established, as provided in Appendix A to this order.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this      31^st         day of January 2019.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

K. A. Keilty

Commissioner

Attachment

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Review of the Regulatory Oversight of Capital Expenditures and Projects