Orders

ORDER NUMBER

F-38-20

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. and Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd.

Application for Acceptance of the

2019 Consolidated Resource Plan and

Energy Conservation and Innovation Portfolio Funding for 2020 to 2022

BEFORE:

A. K. Fung, QC, Panel Chair

C. Brewer, Commissioner

R. I. Mason, Commissioner

on November 6, 2020

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On October 31, 2019, Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. and Pacific Northern Gas (N.E.) Ltd. (PNG(N.E.)) (collectively, PNG) filed for acceptance by the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) the 2019 Consolidated Resource Plan and expenditure schedule for the Energy Conservation and Innovation Portfolio for 2020 to 2022, pursuant to sections 44.1 and 44.2 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) (together, the Application);

B.      By Orders G-322-19, G-24-20, G-72-20 and G-122-20, the BCUC established a public hearing process and regulatory timetable to review the Application, which included intervener registration, two rounds of BCUC and intervener information requests (IRs), submissions on further process, written final arguments and written reply argument;

C.      The British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al. (BCOAPO) and British Columbia Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA) participated as registered interveners. FortisBC Energy Inc. registered as an interested party in the proceeding;

D.      On October 24, 2020, by Order G-265-20 with accompanying Reasons for Decision, the BCUC made its final determinations on the Application;

E.       The following interveners filed Participant Assistance/Cost Award (PACA) applications with the BCUC with respect to their participation in the proceeding:

F.       By August 16, 2020, PNG provided its comments on the PACA applications, stating that it found the funding applications to be reasonable;

G.      The BCUC has reviewed the PACA applications in accordance with the criteria and rates set out in the PACA Guidelines, attached to BCUC Order G-97-17, and considers the cost awards should be approved. 

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 118(1) of the Utilities Commission Act, the BCUC orders as follows:

1.       Funding is awarded to the following interveners in the listed amounts for their participation in the proceeding:

2.       PNG is directed to reimburse the above-noted participants for the awarded amount in a timely manner.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this             6^th            day of November 2020.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

A. K. Fung, QC

Commissioner