Orders

ORDER NUMBER

R-8-22

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

British Columbia Utilities Commission

Mandatory Reliability Standards Planning Coordinator
Function Registration and Planning Coordinator Issues

 

BEFORE:

A. K. Fung, QC, Panel Chair

C. M. Brewer, Commissioner

W. M. Everett, QC, Commissioner

 

on March 14, 2022

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On May 31, 2021, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) submitted to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) a Mandatory Reliability Standards (MRS) Planning Coordinator Assessment Report (PC Assessment Report). In the PC Assessment Report, which addressed the reliability standards and glossary of terms related to the Planning Coordinator (PC) function, BC Hydro submitted that there are currently no registered PCs in the British Columbia MRS Program;

B.      On June 25, 2021, BC Hydro filed its proposed implementation approach (Implementation Approach) providing information regarding its anticipated timing to register as a PC for its own Bulk Power Electric System assets only, and to engage other entities registered in the British Columbia MRS Program (Entities) that are interconnected to the BC Hydro system on the potential for BC Hydro to provide PC service to those Entities;

C.      By Order R-15-21 dated July 14, 2021, the BCUC issued a regulatory timetable for review of the PC Assessment Report and established a public written comment process. Throughout the proceeding, the BCUC received various submissions from registered interveners (Interveners) and BC Hydro;

D.      On October 8, 2021, BC Hydro filed its reply to letters of comment and submitted that in light of the issues presented in its response and submissions filed to date, it was apparent to BC Hydro that the PC Assessment Report filing was premature. BC Hydro also recommended that the proceeding reviewing the PC Assessment Report be suspended, and a new proceeding be established to address whether a single-PC model or multi-PC model is desirable in the province and to identify the appropriate Entity or Entities to register as PC(s)
(PC Issues);

E.       On November 1, 2021, Interveners responded to BC Hydro’s October 8, 2021 submission and agreed that the BCUC should suspend the proceeding to review the PC Assessment Report and establish a new proceeding to address the PC Issues;

F.       By Order R-4-22 dated January 26, 2022, the BCUC adjourned the proceeding to review the PC Assessment Report and recommended the BCUC initiate a separate proceeding regarding the PC Issues;

G.      By Order G-123-09, the BCUC appointed the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) as its Administrator for registration and monitoring compliance pursuant to section 8 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA). WECC’s role as Administrator for the BC MRS Program is pursuant to the Administration Agreement between WECC and the BCUC signed on October 8, 2009, and renewed on July 5, 2019;

H.      On February 4, 2022, BC Hydro filed a progress update on its Implementation Approach, stating that it had completed the first phase of the Implementation Approach but was unable to amend its existing MRS program registration to request registration as a PC for its own Bulk Power Electric System assets because the WECC registration system does not allow for such amendments (BC Hydro Progress Update). On March 2, 2022, the BCUC acknowledged receipt of the BC Hydro Progress Update; and

I.         Following review of the recommendation made pursuant to Order R-4-22 and the BC Hydro Progress Update, the BCUC determines that a public hearing to review the PC Issues and associated PC registration in the Province of British Columbia is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:

 

1.       The regulatory timetable  for the review of the BC Hydro Progress Update, the PC Issues and the associated PC registration is established as set out in Appendix A to this Order.

2.       Parties who wish to actively participate in the proceeding are invited to register with the BCUC by completing a Request to Intervene Form, available on the BCUC’s website under Get Involved, by the date established in the Regulatory Timetable and in accordance with the BCUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure attached to Order G-15-19.

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                14^th         day of March 2022.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

A. K. Fung, QC

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

 

 

British Columbia Utilities Commission

Mandatory Reliability Standards Planning Coordinator
Function Registration and Planning Coordinator Issues

 

 

 

*Location and format to be determined

 

Mandatory Reliability Standards Planning Coordinator Function in British Columbia

On February 24, 2022, the BCUC initiated a proceeding to determine whether there should be a single Planning Coordinator or multiple Planning Coordinators in British Columbia within the Mandatory Reliability Standards (MRS) Program. The Planning Coordinator function is responsible for the coordination and integration of transmission facilities and service plans, resource plans and protection systems. This proceeding will also address which registered entity/entities in the MRS Program should be registered as Planning Coordinator(s) in British Columbia.

 

For more information about the Application, please visit the Proceeding Webpage on bcuc.com under
“Our Work – Proceedings”. To learn more about getting involved, please visit our website at www.bcuc.com/get-involved or contact us at the information below.

 

*Parties who wish to attend the Procedural Conference must register via email with BCUC by 5:00 p.m. PDT on May 20, 2022.

 

GET MORE INFORMATION
	British Columbia Utilities Commission Suite 410, 900 Howe Street Vancouver, BC Canada  V6Z 2N3   E: Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com   P: 604.660.4700