Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-67-19A

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Transmission Service Rate F2020 and F2021 Pricing Principles Extension Application

 

BEFORE:

R. I. Mason, Commissioner

B. A. Magnan, Commissioner

M. Kresivo, QC, Commissioner

R. D. Revel, Commissioner

W. M. Everett, QC, Commissioner

C. Brewer, Commissioner

 

on March 21, 2019

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On February 15, 2019, pursuant to sections 59 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) an application seeking approval for a two-year extension to March 31, 2021 of the Transmission Service Rate (TSR) pricing principles for Rate Schedule (RS) 1823, whereby rate increases as determined in BC Hydro’s Fiscal 2020 to Fiscal 2021 Revenue Requirements Application (F2020-F2021 RRA) would be applied uniformly to both energy rate components of the RS 1823 Energy Charge B rate (Tier 1 and Tier 2) (altogether the Application);

B.      By Decision and Order G-5-17 to the BC Hydro 2015 Rate Design Application (2015 RDA), dated January 20, 2017, the BCUC approved the current TSR pricing principles whereby general rate increases effective April 1, 2018 would be applied uniformly to Tier 1 and Tier 2 rates for RS 1823 Energy Charge B;

C.      By Decision and Order G-47-18 to the F2017-F2019 RRA dated March 1, 2018, the BCUC approved a rate increase of 3.0 percent, effective April 1, 2018;

D.      BC Hydro states that the current TSR pricing principles are set to expire March 31, 2019;

E.       By Order G-45-19 to the F2020-F2021 RRA, the BCUC approved certain rate changes on an interim basis, effective April 1, 2019;

F.       BC Hydro hosted various TSR design workshops in Prince George, Calgary, Kamloops and Vancouver throughout October 2018, and sought feedback from stakeholders on whether they agreed with BC Hydro’s proposal of a one-year extension of TSR pricing principles as applied to RS 1823 in F2019; and

G.      The BCUC has commenced a review of the Application and considers that interim approval of the TSR pricing principles is warranted.

 

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to sections 59 to 61, 89 and 90 of the UCA, the BCUC orders the following:

 

1.       BC Hydro is approved to use the TSR pricing principles to increase Tier 1 and Tier 2 rates for RS 1823 Energy Charge B equally by applying interim rate increases approved by the BCUC in Order G-45-19 to the F2020-F2021 RRA on an interim and refundable basis, effective April 1, 2019.

2.       The regulatory timetable is established as set out in Appendix A to this order.

3.       BC Hydro is directed to provide a copy of this order no later than Tuesday, March 26, 2019, to interveners in the 2015 RDA, and to stakeholders who attended the various TSR design workshops hosted by BC Hydro throughout October 2018.

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                 4^th             day of April 2019.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original Signed by:

 

R. I. Mason

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

 

 

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Transmission Service Rate F2020 and F2021 Pricing Principles Extension Application

 

 

 

 

*Please send Letters of Comment to Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com and cc bchydroregulatorygroup@bchydro.com