Orders

ORDER NUMBER

F-41-20

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI)

Revelstoke Propane Portfolio Cost Amalgamation Application

Participant Assistance/Cost Award Application

BEFORE:

T. A. Loski, Panel Chair

B. A. Magnan, Commissioner

on November 23, 2020

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On July 18, 2019, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for approval to amalgamate the Revelstoke propane supply costs with the FEI midstream natural gas supply resource costs in the Midstream Cost Reconciliation Account (MCRA) and to implement a revised propane gas cost rate setting mechanism, pursuant to sections 59 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) effective January 1, 2020 (Application);

B.      By Orders G-201-19, G-290-19, G-13-20, G-52-20, and G-105-20 the BCUC established a written hearing process and regulatory timetable to review the Application, which included, among other things, intervener registration, two rounds of information requests (IR), intervener evidence submissions, IR on intervener evidence, rebuttal evidence submission and final and reply arguments;

C.      Canadian Biomass Energy Research Ltd., Big Eddy Fuel Services Ltd., City of Revelstoke, Downie Timber Ltd., Cryopeak LNG Solutions, British Columbia Old Age Pensioners’ Organization et al., the Commercial Energy Consumers of British Columbia, British Columbia Sustainable Energy Association, and Clean Energy Fueling Services Corp. registered as interveners in the proceeding;

D.      By its Decision and accompanying Order G-245-20 dated October 1, 2020, the BCUC issued its final determinations on the Application;

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

F.       By letter dated October 21, 2020, FEI provided its comments on the PACA applications, stating that if the BCUC is satisfied that the participants have met the eligibility requirements, that the funding days claimed are appropriate and the level of participation has met the BCUC’s criteria and requirements, then FEI has no further comment; and

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 makes the following determinations.

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

1.       Funding is awarded to the following interveners in the listed amounts for their participation in the FEI Revelstoke Propane Portfolio Cost Amalgamation proceeding:

2.       Funding to the Commercial Energy Consumers of British Columbia for the “Open File Charge” is denied.

3.       FEI is directed to reimburse the above-noted participants for the awarded amounts in a timely manner.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this         23^rd      day of November 2020.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

T. A. Loski

Commissioner