ORDER NUMBER
G-286-20
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
FortisBC Energy Inc.
2019-2022 Demand Side Management Expenditures Plan Request
for Acceptance of Industrial Expenditures Budget Transfer for 2020
BEFORE:
A. K. Fung, Q.C. Panel Chair
on November 6, 2020
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. By Order G-10-19 dated January 17, 2019, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) issued its decision 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 FEI 2012 and 2013 Revenue Requirements and Natural Gas Rates Decision;
B. On October 16, 2020, FEI filed for BCUC approval to transfer $ 2.969 million into the Industrial Program Area in order to meet higher than anticipated demand, as FEI is expecting that actual Industrial expenditures will exceed 25 percent of planned expenditures at year-end (Application). FEI has sought input from its Energy Efficiency and Conservation Advisory Group (EECAG) on the funding reallocation and no EECAG members indicated opposition;
C. By Order G-264-20 dated October 22, 2020, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable for the review of the Application, which included one round of BCUC information requests (IRs) and letters of comment;
D. On October 23, 2020, the BCUC filed IRs with FEI. On October 30, 2020, FEI filed its responses to BCUC IRs, and also requests BCUC approval to transfer funds from the Portfolio Level Activities Program Area in excess of 25 percent of approved expenditures;
E. On November 4, 2020, BC Sustainable Energy Association filed a letter of comment in support of FEI’s requested funding transfers; and
F. Following review of the Application, the evidence and the letter of comment filed in this proceeding, the BCUC considers approval of the Application is warranted as being in the public interest.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 44.2 of the Utilities Commission Act, the BCUC orders as follows:
1. FEI is approved to transfer funds into the Industrial Program Area that exceed 25 percent of the total 2020 Industrial Program Area approved funding from other program areas’ total 2020 approved funding, provided the transfers from other program areas (with the exception of the transfer out of the Portfolio Level Activities Program Area as approved below) do not exceed 25 percent of a program area’s total 2020 approved funding.
2. FEI is approved to transfer funds out of the Portfolio Level Activities Program Area into the Industrial Program Area in excess of 25 percent of the total 2020 approved funding for the Portfolio Level Activities Program Area.
3. FEI is directed to include in its 2020 DSM Annual Report the actual 2020 Program Area expenditures and a breakdown of any transfer of funds between Program Areas.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 6th day of November 2020.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
A. K. Fung, Q.C.
Commissioner