Orders

 

ORDER NUMBER

G-363-22

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity

for the Lower Mainland Reactive Power Reinforcement Project

 

BEFORE:

A. K. Fung, KC, Panel Chair

A.C. Dennier, Commissioner

A. Pape-Salmon, Commissioner

 

on December 15, 2022

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On November 22, 2022, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) pursuant to section 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for the Lower Mainland Reactive Power Reinforcement Project (Application);

B.      In the Application, BC Hydro proposes to install reactive power compensation equipment at the Meridian, Ingledow, McLellan and Clayburn substations and stop using the Burrard Synchronous Condenser Station to manage reactive power on BC Hydro’s transmission system (Project); 

C.      BC Hydro requests that certain information in the Application be held confidential in accordance with Part IV of the BCUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure on the basis that the information is commercially sensitive in nature and that significant harm or prejudice to BC Hydro’s competitive or negotiating position is reasonably expected to result if the information was made public;

D.      The BCUC has commenced its review of the Application and determines that the establishment of a public hearing and a regulatory timetable is warranted.

 

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:

 

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

2.       BC Hydro is directed, as soon as practicable, but not later than Monday, January 9, 2023, to 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.

3.       BC Hydro is directed, as soon as practicable, but not later than Monday, January 9, 2023, to publish notice of this Application on its website and social media platforms. Weekly reminder notices on each platform must be published until the conclusion of the intervener registration period on Thursday, January 19, 2023.

4.       BC Hydro is directed, as soon as practicable, but not later than Monday, January 9, 2023, to provide an electronic copy of the Application and this order to all known affected or potentially affected parties, including, but not limited to:

a.       Indigenous Nations and organizations identified in Section 5.3.1 of the Application;

b.       Stakeholders identified in Section 5.4.4 of the Application; and

c.       Registered interveners in the BC Hydro Fiscal 2023 to Fiscal 2025 Revenue Requirements proceeding.

5.       BC Hydro is directed to provide to the BCUC, by Thursday, January 12, 2023, confirmation that Directives 2, 3 and 4 of this Order have been met. Such confirmation shall include: a copy of the news publication(s) published pursuant to Directive 2 of this Order; confirmation of notice published on BC Hydro’s website and social media platforms pursuant to Directive 3 of this Order; and a list of all parties notified pursuant to Directive 4 of this Order.   

6.       In accordance with BCUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, parties who wish to actively participate in this proceeding, must submit the Request to Intervene Form, available on the BCUC’s website at https://www.bcuc.com/get-involved/get-involved-proceeding.html, by Thursday, January 19, 2023, as established in the Regulatory Timetable.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this           15^th           day of December 2022.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

A. K. Fung, KC

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

 

 

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity

for the Lower Mainland Reactive Power Reinforcement Project

 

 

 

 

 

 

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Lower Mainland Reactive Power Reinforcement Project

On November 22, 2022, British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Lower Mainland Reactive Power Reinforcement Project. The project will install reactive power compensation equipment at the Ingledow, McLellan, Clayburn, and Meridian substations in the cities of Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford, and Coquitlam, respectively. BC Hydro also proposes to stop operations at the Burrard Synchronous Condenser Station which is presently used to manage reactive power on BC Hydro’s transmission system.  BC Hydro states that the expected cost of the project is $102.5 million.      

 

 

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

 

 

GET MORE INFORMATION
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority 16th Floor, 333 Dunsmuir Street Vancouver, BC  V6B 5R3   E: bchydroregulatorygroup@bchydro.com   P: 604.623.4348	British Columbia Utilities Commission Suite 410, 900 Howe Street Vancouver, BC Canada  V6Z 2N3   E: Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com   P: 604.660.4700