ORDER NUMBER
G-314-22
IN THE MATTER OF
the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473
and
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
Rescindment of Reporting Requirements from Directive 4 of Order E-15-19 and Directive 3 of Order E-2-20
BEFORE:
B. A. Magnan, Commissioner
on November 2, 2022
ORDER
WHEREAS:
A. On September 2, 2022, British Columbia and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) an Application, pursuant to section 99 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), seeking rescindment of reporting requirements from Directive 4 of Order E-15-19 and Directive 3 of Order
E-2-20;
B. By Order E-15-19, dated July 11, 2019, the BCUC accepted the 2018 Letter Agreement, which enabled BC Hydro to enter a forward electricity purchase and sale transactions with Powerex Corp. (Powerex) from December 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. The 2018 Letter Agreement responded to an impending electricity supply issue that arose because of historically low precipitation in the Kinbasket and Williston reservoir basins;
C. Within Order E-15-19, BC Hydro was directed to file with the BCUC monthly reports to monitor water levels and inflows at each of the Kinbasket and Williston reservoirs by the end of each month following each reporting month, starting with the period June 1, 2019 to June 30, 2019;
D. By Order E-2-20, dated February 21, 2020, the BCUC accepted the 2019 Letter Agreement between
BC Hydro and Powerex that enabled BC Hydro to acquire forward physical wholesale electricity to manage potential electricity shortages. In Directive 3 of Order E-2-20, BC Hydro was directed to continue to file monthly reports to monitor water levels and inflows at each of the Kinbasket and Williston reservoirs pursuant to Directive 4 of Order E-15-19 (Monthly Reservoir Reports);
E. The 2019 Letter Agreement was intended as a bridging mechanism until an updated Transfer Pricing Agreement (TPA) between BC Hydro and Powerex was filed;
F. The TPA was accepted for filing by the BCUC by Order G-127-21, dated April 28, 2021, in accordance with section 10 of Direction No. 8 to the BCUC;
G. In its Application, BC Hydro requests that Directive 4 of BCUC Order E-15-19 and Directive 3 of BCUC Order E-2-20 be rescinded because the historic electricity supply issues are no longer a concern, and the 2018 and 2019 Letter Agreements are no longer in effect; and
H. The BCUC has reviewed the Application and determines that rescindment of the reporting requirements to file Monthly Reservoir Reports is not warranted at this time.
NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders BC Hydro to continue to file Monthly Reservoir Reports as set out in Directive 4 of Order No. E-15-19 and Directive 3 of Order No. E-2-20.
DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this 2nd day of November 2022.
BY ORDER
Original signed by:
B. A. Magnan
Commissioner