Orders

 

ORDER NUMBER

G-294-19

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

FortisBC Energy Inc.

Application for Approval of an Operating Agreement

Between the Corporation of the City of Williams Lake and FortisBC Energy Inc.

 

BEFORE:

R. I. Mason, Commissioner

 

on November 20, 2019

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On October 30, 2019, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) applied to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for approval of an operating agreement dated October 17, 2019, entered into between the Corporation of the City of Williams Lake (Williams Lake) and FEI (FEI-Williams Lake Operating Agreement or Application);

B.      FEI (through its predecessor company, BC Gas Utility Ltd.) and Williams Lake entered into a franchise agreement dated October 21, 1998, approved by Order C-16-98, which expired September 5, 2019;

C.      FEI submits the FEI-Williams Lake Operating Agreement is based on terms which are substantially consistent with the approved terms of the Village of Keremeos Operating Agreement;

D.      FEI states that six of nine changes within the FEI-Williams Lake Operating Agreement, as compared to the approved terms of the Village of Keremeos Operating Agreement, are consistent with the revisions to the City of Kelowna Operating Agreement, approved by Order G-99-19;

E.       FEI submits that the remaining three of nine changes within the FEI-Williams Lake Operating Agreement, as compared to the approved terms of the Village of Keremeos Operating Agreement, relate to the reciprocal responsibility for repair of damaged facilities and the provision of notice of new work, and that these changes are not expected to result in any appreciable increase in costs to FEI;

F.       FEI requests interim approval of the FEI-Williams Lake Operating Agreement if a final determination by the BCUC is not made prior to a requested December 1, 2019 effective date; and

G.     The BCUC has reviewed the Application and considers that the following determinations are warranted.

 

 

NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to sections 23(1)(g) and 89 of the Utilities Commission Act, the BCUC orders as follows:

 

1.       Interim approval of the FEI-Williams Lake Operating Agreement and the collection of operating fees, effective December 1, 2019, is granted until the Panel reaches a final determination on the Application.

2.       A public hearing process and a regulatory timetable is established, as set out in Appendix A to this order.

3.       FEI must publish, no later than Tuesday, December 10, 2019, on its website and in display-ad format, the Public Notice attached as Appendix B to this order. Publication should be in such appropriate news publications as may properly provide adequate notice to FEI customers in Williams Lake.

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this            20th          day of November 2019.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original Signed By:

 

R. I. Mason

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

 

 

FortisBC Energy Inc.

Application for Approval of an Operating Agreement

Between the Corporation of the City of Williams Lake and FortisBC Energy Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

OPERATING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF WILLIAMS LAKE AND FORTISBC ENERGY INC.

On October 30, 2019, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) applied to the BCUC for approval of a revised operating agreement with the City of Williams Lake. The operating agreement between both parties outlines the terms of administering and operating gas distribution facilities within the City of Williams Lake.

 

More information on the application can be found at bcuc.com on our “Current Proceedings” page, a hard copy of the application is also available for review at the BCUC’s office and FEI’s head office.

 

 

For more information on getting involved, please visit our website (www.bcuc.com/get-involved) or contact us at the information below.

 

GET MORE INFORMATION
FortisBC Energy Inc. Regulatory Affairs 16705 Fraser Highway Surrey, BC  V4N 0E8   E: gas.regulatory.affairs@fortisbc.com   P: 604.592.7664	British Columbia Utilities Commission Suite 410, 900 Howe Street Vancouver, BC  V6Z 2N3   E: Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com   P: 604.660.4700