Orders

February 24, 2023                                                                                                                                                                                             

Sent via email                                                                                                                                                                            Letter L-8-23

Ms. Sarah Walsh

Director, Regulatory Affairs

FortisBC Energy Inc., FortisBC Inc. and

FortisBC Alternative Energy Services Inc.

16705 Fraser Highway

Surrey, BC  V4N 0E8

gas.regulatory.affairs@fortisbc.com;

faes.regulatory.affairs@fortisbc.com;

electricity.regulatory.affairs@fortisbc.com;

Re:          FortisBC – Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) End-of-Use Deadline

On April 1, 2022, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) requested FortisBC Energy Inc., FortisBC Inc., and FortisBC Alternative Energy Services Inc. (collectively FortisBC) to provide the following information:

Whether the utility has any equipment containing PCBs [Polychlorinated Biphenyls] with a concentration of 50 mg/kg (50 ppm) or more still in-use. If yes, please describe the equipment and the utility’s plans to meet the deadline.

On May 2, 2022, FortisBC writes in response to the BCUC’s request for information regarding FortisBC’s plans to meet the end-of-use deadline for equipment containing PCBs by the December 31, 2025 deadline. In response to the BCUC, FortisBC noted that FortisBC Inc. has several assets containing PCB concentrations above 50 ppm that are still in use and subject to PCB regulations. In reply to the BCUC, FortisBC provides Table 1 showing number of units with PCB concentrations above 50 ppm for each equipment type and pending decommissioning dates for each of these equipment types. FortisBC additionally confirms that it plans to decommission its transmission and distribution system assets with PCB concentrations over 50 ppm by end of 2023.

The BCUC requests FortisBC to file status updates on Friday, March 31, 2023, and on Monday, April 1, 2024, to inform the BCUC of FortisBC Inc.’s progress on its plan to decommission PCB-containing equipment, including an update to Table 1.

FortisBC has successfully purchased the operating assets of Stargas Utilities Ltd. (Stargas Utilities), acquiring approximately 375 customers within the SilverStar Mountain Resort. [1] The BCUC requests FortisBC to confirm whether Table 1 provided in FortisBC’s response includes equipment of Stargas Utilities. If not confirmed, the BCUC additionally requests that FortisBC provide information similar to Table 1 for newly acquired Stargas assets, including a description of PCB containing equipment in-use within Stargas facilities and pending decommissioning dates. Please address these questions in the
March 31, 2023, status update.

Sincerely,

Original signed by:

Sara Hardgrave

Acting Commission Secretary

ED/kk