Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-262-19

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

FortisBC Energy Inc.

2019-2022 Demand Side Management Industrial Expenditure Budget Transfer

BEFORE:

A. K. Fung, QC, Commissioner

on October 31, 2019

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On January 17, 2019, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) issued its decision by way of Order
G-10-19 in the FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) Application for Acceptance of 2019-2022 Demand Side Management (DSM) Expenditures Plan proceeding, approving, among other things, FEI’s request that funding transfers follow the same process as was established in the FortisBC Energy Utilities 2012 and 2013 Revenue Requirements and Natural Gas Rates Decision;

B.      On September 18, 2019, FEI filed for approval to transfer $3.4 million into the Industrial Program Area in order to meet higher than anticipated demand, in the event that actual Industrial expenditures exceed 25 percent of planned expenditures at year-end (Application);

C.      By letter dated October 8, 2019, the BCUC invited the public to file letters of comment in respect of the Application by October 25, 2019, with further process to follow;

D.      By Order G-254-19, dated October 23, 2019, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable which provided for BCUC information requests (IRs) to FEI to be filed on October 24, 2019, letters of comments to be filed on October 25, 2019 and responses to BCUC IRs to be filed by October 30, 2019;

E.       On October 25, 2019, BC Sustainable Energy Association filed a letter confirming its support for BCUC approval of the Application;

F.       By letters dated October 25, 2019, the Commercial Energy Consumers Association of British Columbia (CEC) and the British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization, Council of Senior Citizens’ Organizations of BC, Disability Alliance BC, the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre, Active Support Against Poverty, and Together Against Poverty Society (BCOAPO) requested a delay in the filing date for letters of comment to allow parties to provide comments after review of FEI’s responses to the BCUC IRs;

G.     By letter dated October 28, 2019, the BCUC requested that FEI advise the BCUC whether FEI is amenable to the BCUC granting the extension requests from CEC and BCOPAO (Extension Requests) and if so, indicate a reasonable date for the filing of their letters of comment, and if not, the reasons for why FEI opposes the Extension Requests;

H.      On October 30, 2019, FEI filed a written submission responding to the Extension Requests, noting that both parties had the opportunity to provide comments earlier when FEI notified the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Advisory Group (of which both parties are members) of the Application but failed to do so, and stating that it does not object to the Extension Requests provided that the letters of comments are filed by the end of the business day on October 31, 2019 in order to accommodate an expeditious BCUC decision;

I.        On October 30, 2019, FEI filed its responses to the BCUC’s IRs; and

J.        The Panel has considered the Extension Requests and FEI’s submission and considers it reasonable to grant the Extension Requests and that amendments to the regulatory timetable are warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC approves the Extension Requests and orders the establishment of an amended regulatory timetable, as set out in Appendix A to this order.

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

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

A. K. Fung, QC

Commissioner

Attachment

FortisBC Energy Inc. 

2019-2022 Demand Side Management Industrial Expenditure Budget Transfer