Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-313-22

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Application for Orders regarding the John Hart Dam Seismic Upgrade Project

 

BEFORE:

W. M. Everett KC, Panel Chair

E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner

A. Pape-Salmon, Commissioner

 

on November 3, 2022

 

ORDER

 

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On December 20, 2021, the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC), pursuant to section 44.2(1)(b) of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), including a schedule of statement of capital expenditures BC Hydro has made or anticipates making during the period addressed by the schedule for implementation of the John Hart Dam Seismic Upgrade Project (Project) and seeking, pursuant to section 44.2(3) of the UCA, BCUC acceptance of the expenditure schedule as being in the public interest (Application);

B.      The Project is located at the existing John Hart Dam and Reservoir and John Hart Generating Station (John Hart Facility) on the Campbell River within the City of Campbell River boundaries on Vancouver Island. BC Hydro submits the proposed statement of capital expenditures will address deficiencies in the John Hart Facility related to its resistance to earthquake loading and operational reliability of its Spillway Gates Systems, and vulnerability to potential flow imbalance between the John Hart Dam and the upstream facility at Ladore Dam that could lead to the overtopping of the John Hart Dam;

C.      By Order G-17-22, dated January 24, 2022, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable for a review of the Application. The regulatory timetable was subsequently amended by Orders G-110-22 dated April 26, 2022, G-160-22 dated June 13, 2022, G-218-22 dated August 9, 2022 and G-277-22 dated October 5, 2022;

D.      The Application refers to Appendix G, the John Hart Facility Asset Plan – 2021 (the Facility Asset Plan), however, BC Hydro did not include the Facility Asset Plan in the Application and explained that it was in the final stages of review. BC Hydro provided a copy of the Facility Asset Plan as Attachment 1 in BCUC IR2.47.1.

 

E.       By letter dated July 27, 2022, BC Hydro gave notice of its intention to file a Project Cost Estimate update and submitted that it would support a third round of Information Requests, limited to a review of the updated Project Cost Estimate; 

F.       On October 25, 2022, BC Hydro filed the updated Project Cost Estimate with the BCUC; and

G.      The BCUC has commenced its review of the updated Project Cost Estimate and determines that an amendment to the regulatory timetable is warranted.

 

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders that the regulatory timetable is amended as set out in Appendix A to this order.

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this             3rd            day of November 2022.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

W. M. Everett KC

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

 

 

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Application for Orders regarding the John Hart Dam Seismic Upgrade Project