Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-329-20

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

Stargas Utilities Ltd.

Natural Gas Purchase Plan and Commodity Rate Application

Effective November 1, 2020  

                                                                                                        BEFORE:                                                                                      

C. M. Brewer, Panel Chair

K. A. Keilty, Commissioner

B. A. Magnan, Commissioner

on December 11, 2020

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On September 15, 2020, Stargas Utilities Ltd. (Stargas) filed an application under section 71 and section 61(4) of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) seeking approval of its natural gas purchase plan for the contract year from November 1, 2020 to October 31, 2021 and approval to increase the commodity rate from $3.98 per gigajoule (GJ) to $7.48 per GJ or approximately 88 percent, effective November 1, 2020 (Application);

B.      On October 21, 2020, Stargas filed an updated application with the BCUC seeking approval to increase the commodity rate from $3.98 per GJ to $7.87 per GJ or approximately 98 percent, effective November 1, 2020 (Updated Application), based on updated forecast gas cost as on October 20, 2020;

C.      By Order G-271-20, dated October 27, 2020, the BCUC directed Stargas to maintain its commodity rate at the existing rate of $3.98 per GJ on an interim and refundable basis, effective date November 1, 2020. Any variance between approved interim rates and permanent rates as determined at the time the BCUC renders its final decision on the Updated Application is to be refunded to or collected from ratepayers, with interest at the average prime rate of Stargas’ principal bank for the most recent year;

D.      By Order G-271-20, the BCUC also established a regulatory timetable for review of the Updated Application;

E.       By letter dated December 3, 2020, Stargas requested an extension for the filing deadline of responses to BCUC and Silver Star Property Owners Association (SSPOA) Information Requests (IR) No. 1, which the BCUC granted by Order G-321-20 dated December 8, 2020;

F.       By letter dated December 9, 2020, Stargas filed a request seeking to extend the filing deadline of IR No. 1 to December 14, 2020;

G.      By letter dated December 11, 2020, Stargas filed a further request seeking to extend the filing deadline of responses to IR No. 1 to December 17, 2020 (IR Extension Request);

H.      The BCUC has reviewed Stargas’ IR Extension Request, and considers that any subsequent requests for an extension of this nature are not likely warranted; and

I.         The BCUC determines that an amended regulatory timetable should be established.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC grants an extension to the deadline for filing IR responses to Thursday, December 17, 2020 and orders that the regulatory timetable established by Order G-271-20 is amended, as set out in Appendix A to this order.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this           11^th             day of December 2020.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

C. M. Brewer

Commissioner

Attachment

Stargas Utilities Ltd.

Natural Gas Purchase Plan and Commodity Rate Application