Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-320-22

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

FortisBC Energy Inc.

Application for a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity

for the Interior Transmission System Transmission Integrity Management Capabilities Project

 

BEFORE:

C. M. Brewer, Panel Chair

A. C. Dennier, Commissioner

E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner

 

on November 7, 2022

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On September 20, 2022, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) pursuant to sections 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) for FEI’s Interior Transmission System (ITS) Transmission Integrity Management Capabilities (TIMC) Project (ITS TIMC Project) (Application);

B.      The ITS TIMC Project consists of work necessary to prepare eight pipelines on the ITS for the use of in-line inspection tools. The scope of the ITS TIMC Project includes:

1.       Replacement of three heavy wall pipeline segments on two of the ITS pipelines; and

2.       Modification to 13 transmission pressure facilities within the ITS;

C.      In the Application, FEI also requests approval, pursuant to section 59 to 61 of the UCA, to transfer the balance of the TIMC Development Cost deferral account associated with the Application, estimated to be a credit of $0.574 million, from the existing non-rate base TIMC Development Cost deferral account to the existing rate base TIMC Development Cost deferral account; and

D.      The BCUC has commenced review of the Application and considers that the establishment of a public hearing is warranted.

 

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:

 

1.       A public hearing process is established for the review of the Application in accordance with the regulatory timetable as set out in Appendix A to this order.

2.       FEI must publish the Public Notice, attached as Appendix B to this order, in print/display-ad format in appropriate news publications, such as but not limited to, local and community newspapers to provide adequate notice to those parties who may have an interest in or be affected by the Application, as soon as reasonably possible, but no later than Thursday, November 24, 2022.

3.       As soon as practicable, FEI must publish notice of this Application on its website and social media platforms, but not later than Thursday, November 24, 2022. It must also publish weekly reminder notices on each platform until the conclusion of the intervener registration period on Thursday, December 8, 2022.

4.       FEI must provide an electronic copy of the Application and this order to all affected parties and potentially affected parties by no later than Thursday, November 24, 2022. This includes, but is not limited to, the following parties:

a.       All interveners in the FEI Coastal Transmission System TIMC CPCN and the FEI Okanagan Capacity Upgrade CPCN proceedings;

b.       All municipalities and regional districts identified in Appendix M of the Application; and

c.       All Indigenous groups identified in Appendix M of the Application.

5.       FEI must provide confirmation to the BCUC when the Public Notice has been posted, including a list of the publications (paper and digital) in which the notice was posted, by Tuesday, November 29, 2022.

6.       FEI must submit to the BCUC a list of all parties directly notified of this Application and order by FEI, including the method and date of notification, by Tuesday, November 29, 2022.

7.       Parties who wish to actively participate in this proceeding must complete a Request to Intervene Form, available on the BCUC’s website at https://www.bcuc.com/get-involved/get-involved-proceeding.html by Thursday, December 8, 2022 as established in the regulatory timetable, and in accordance with the BCUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure attached to Order G-178-22. Parties who wish to stay informed about the proceeding may register as an interested party by completing an Interested Party Form, available on the BCUC’s website under Get Involved. Parties may also submit letters of comment by completing a Letter of Comment Form, available on the BCUC’s website.

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this   7^th day of November 2022.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

C. M. Brewer

Commissioner

 

Attachment

FortisBC Energy Inc.

Application for a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity

for the Interior Transmission System Transmission Integrity Management Capabilities Project

 

 

 

 

 

FORTISBC ENERGY INC.’S APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR THE INTERIOR TRANSMISSION SYSTEM TRANSMISSION INTEGRITY MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES PROJECT

On September 20, 2022, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) filed its Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Interior Transmission System (ITS) Transmission Integrity Management Capabilities (TIMC) Project (Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission. The purpose of the project is to enable FEI to detect cracking threats on its ITS pipelines. The Application consists of alterations to ITS pipelines and facilities in the province’s interior area. The estimated total cost of the project is $84.6 million.

 

 

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 (www.bcuc.com/get-involved) or contact us at the information below.

 

GET MORE INFORMATION
FortisBC Energy Inc. 16705 Fraser Highway Surrey, BC  V4N 0E8   E: gas.regulatory.affairs@fortisbc.com   P: 604.592.7664	British Columbia Utilities Commission Suite 410, 900 Howe Street Vancouver, BC  V6Z 2N3   E: Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com   P: 604.660.4700