ORDER NUMBER
G-306-22
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
Electric Tariff Supplement No. 106
Agreement with Pretium
BEFORE:
B. A. Magnan, Commissioner
on October 27, 2022
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On September 8, 2022, pursuant to sections 58 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) seeking approval of Tariff Supplement No. 106 (TS 106) between BC Hydro and Pretium Resources Inc. (Pretium) (Application);
B. Pretium is a current BC Hydro customer and is serviced under Tariff Supplement No. 87 (TS 87) Electricity Supply Agreement (ESA);
C. In the Application, Pretium requested an increase in Contract Demand, in order to increase production at its Brucejack Mine (the Mine);
D. In the Application, BC Hydro states that Pretium’s request for increased Contract Demand cannot be immediately met under current TS 87;
E. BC Hydro, with support from Pretium, has instead filed for approval of TS 106, a supplement of Pretium’s existing ESA. It allows Pretium to increase its Contract Demand on an interim, curtailable basis until BC Hydro’s load interconnection process for firm service is complete;
F. In the Application, BC Hydro states that approval of the increased Contract Demand and TS 106 promotes utilization of available system capacity that would otherwise go unused for some time, provides incremental revenue to BC Hydro, promotes economic development in the region, does not have an impact on other Customers in the Stewart Area, and will not result in any costs to be recovered from other ratepayers;
G. Pretium supports the Application; and
H. The BCUC has reviewed the Application and determines that approval of TS 106, is warranted.
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 58 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act, the British Columbia Utilities Commission orders as follows:
1. TS 106 is approved effective as of the date of this Order.
2. The BCUC will keep the confidential version of the Application confidential as it contains customer specific and other commercially sensitive information; and
3. BC Hydro is directed to refile TS 106 for endorsement by the BCUC within 30 days of the issuance of this order.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 27th day of October 2022.
BY ORDER
Original signed by
B. A. Magnan
Commissioner