Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-49-19

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

NorthRiver Midstream Partners LP & NorthRiver Midstream Operations GP Inc.

Application for an exemption pursuant to section 88(3) of the Utilities Commission Act

 

BEFORE:

B. A. Magnan, Panel Chair/Commissioner

T. A. Loski, Commissioner

 

 

on March 6, 2019

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On January 7, 2019, NorthRiver Midstream Partners LP (NRLP) and NorthRiver Midstream Operations GP Inc. (NRGP) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for an exemption from Part 3 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), pursuant to section 88(3) of the UCA, with respect to natural gas processing plants and associated raw gas pipelines (Application);

B.      On July 4, 2018, Grizzly Acquisitions Inc., now NorthRiver Midstream Inc. (NRMI), entered into two separate purchase agreements to directly and indirectly acquire 100 percent of Enbridge Inc.’s (Enbridge) Western Canadian natural gas gathering and processing business (G&P Business);

C.      Six natural gas processing plants that form part of the G&P Business, with a total operating capacity of 1.6 bcf/d, together with their associated raw gas gathering systems (Field Services Assets), are currently owned and operated by Westcoast Energy Inc. doing business as Spectra Energy Transmission (Westcoast), a wholly owned subsidiary of Enbridge;

D.      Under the Field Services Assets purchase and sale agreement, NRMI has designated NRLP to acquire the Field Services Assets and NRGP to manage the Field Services Assets on behalf of NRLP;

E.       By Order G-22-19, dated January 30, 2019, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable which included one round of BCUC information requests, submissions from stakeholders, NRLP and NRGP response to stakeholder submissions and further process to be determined.

F.       No stakeholder submissions were received by the BCUC.

G.      The BCUC considers that an amendment to the regulatory timetable and the establishment of a workshop is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:

 

1.       The regulatory timetable established by Order G-22-19 for the review of the Application is amended, as set out in Appendix A to this order.

2.       A workshop will be held on March 18, 2019, commencing at 8:30 am at the BCUC Hearing Room on the 12th Floor, 1125 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC.

3.       The agenda and scope for the workshop is attached as Appendix B to this order.

4.       Within 5 business days of this order, NRMI and Westcoast are directed to publish this order and the regulatory timetable on their websites (https://www.northrivermidstream.com/ and https://noms.wei-pipeline.com/).

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                6^th                day of March, 2019.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

B. A. Magnan

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

 

 

NorthRiver Midstream Partners LP & NorthRiver Midstream Operations GP Inc.

Application for an exemption pursuant to section 88(3) of the Utilities Commission Act

 

 

 

 

*The workshop will be commencing at 8:30 am at the BCUC Hearing Room, 12th Floor, 1125 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC.

 

 

 

NorthRiver Midstream Partners LP & NorthRiver Midstream Operations GP Inc.

Application for an exemption pursuant to section 88(3) of the Utilities Commission Act

 

 

The intent of the workshop is for NorthRiver Midstream Partners LP & NorthRiver Midstream Operations GP Inc. Partnership (Applicant) to provide an opportunity to provide further background related to the Application for an exemption from Part 3 of Utilities Commission Act (UCA), pursuant to section 88(3) of the UCA, with respect to natural gas processing plants and associated raw gas pipelines (Application). Participants will be given the opportunity to provide any additional comments or ask questions to the Applicant. British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) staff and the Panel may also ask questions to the Applicant or other participants in the workshop.

 

Participants are asked to make note of the workshop format:

 

1.       BCUC will host the workshop;

2.       The Panel will be in attendance at the workshop;

3.       The workshop will be transcribed;

4.       The material presented at the workshop will be entered into evidence;

5.       The presenters at the workshop are not sworn in or under oath; and

6.       There will be no cross-examination, but clarifying questions are permitted.

By having the workshop material entered into evidence in the proceeding and transcribing the workshop discussion, parties can make reference to this information in the preparation of any additional filings to be made the proceeding.

 

The scope of the workshop will include the following issues:

a.       The inter-dependency of the “Pricing Principles” and the “Complaints Process”;

b.      How the proposals differ from the “Framework” which all customers have been working under for the past 20 years; and

c.       Consultation efforts with customers and First Nations.

The following is the agenda for the workshop:

 

1.       Introductions and order of appearance;

2.       Applicant to provide opening remarks and a brief overview of the Application;

3.       Participants to ask questions in order of appearance;

4.       Questions from the BCUC staff and Panel;

5.       Applicant and Participants to provide input on future process for hearing;

6.       Final comments and any other outstanding items; and

7.       Adjournment.