Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-26-23

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

River District Energy Limited Partnership

Application for Approval for a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity to Construct and Operate

the Second Phase of the District Energy Utility System for the River District Development

 

BEFORE:

E. B. Lockhart, Panel Chair

C. M. Brewer, Commissioner

B. A. Magnan, Commissioner

 

on February 3, 2023

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On June 30, 2022, River District Energy Limited Partnership (RDE) submitted an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) to construct and operate the second phase of the District Energy Utility System (DEU) for the River District Development (River District) (River District DEU), pursuant to sections 45 and 46 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) (Application);

B.      On December 19, 2011, pursuant to Order C-14-11, RDE was granted a CPCN to construct and operate temporary and permanent natural gas fuelled energy centres and related thermal distribution piping system and energy transfer stations. The construction of the permanent energy centre and the planned build out of the River District DEU was postponed due to the slower than anticipated build out of River District;

C.      In the Application, RDE seeks approval to construct a new permanent Community Energy Centre (CEC) that will use thermal energy generated from waste heat produced at Metro Vancouver’s Waste-to-Energy Facility (WTEF) in Burnaby, and delivered to RDE by pipeline through a closed loop hot water system. RDE’s residual energy needs will be met with natural gas-fired hot water boilers located in the CEC. The proposed facilities also include the buildout of RDE’s thermal energy distribution piping system to connect the remaining development sites within River District;

D.      By Order G-234-22, dated August 17, 2022, the BCUC established a public hearing process and regulatory timetable for review of the Application, which consisted of public notice, intervener registration, BCUC and intervener information requests (IRs) No. 1, RDE responses to IRs No. 1 and submissions on further process;

E.       By letter dated August 24, 2022, the BCUC requested that RDE provide further information on the Application;

F.       On September 2, 2022, RDE filed further information on the Application;

G.      On October 25, 2022, RDE filed responses to BCUC and intervener IRs No. 1. By Order G-323-22, dated November 8, 2022, the BCUC established a regulatory timetable to include a second round of IRs (IR No. 2);

H.      On January 9, 2023, RDE filed responses to BCUC and intervener IR No. 2; and

I.         The BCUC has reviewed RDE’s IR No. 2 responses and determines that a further regulatory timetable is warranted.

 

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC establishes a further regulatory timetable for the review of the Application, as set out in Appendix A to this order.

 

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this   3^rd   day of February 2023.

 

BY ORDER

 

    Original signed by:

 

E. B. Lockhart

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

 

 

 

 

River District Energy Limited Partnership

Application for Approval for a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity to Construct and Operate

the Second Phase of the District Energy Utility System for the River District Development

 

 

 

 

* Please refer to the cover letter accompanying Order G-26-23 for information regarding a BCUC request for parties to include specific submissions in their written final arguments.