Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-199-24

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Distribution Extension Policy

BEFORE:

M. Jaccard, Panel Chair

T. A. Loski, Commissioner

W. E. Royle, Commissioner

on July 23, 2024

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On June 27, 2024, BC Hydro filed its Distribution Extension Policy Application (Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC), pursuant to sections 58 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), requesting the approval of amendments to the Electric Tariff Terms and Conditions that govern distribution extensions, including to:

•         Update Electric Tariff Section 8.3 in respect of extension fee calculation, system improvement cost, and BC Hydro’s maximum contribution to an extension, and establish a new Electric Tariff Section 11.5 in respect of BC Hydro’s maximum contribution;

•         Update Electric Tariff Section 8.4 in respect of guarantee requirements and reviews;

•         Update Electric Tariff Section 8.5 in respect of refund of extensions fees;

•         Remove Electric Tariff Section 8.7 in respect of extensions in Rate Zone IB and Rate Zone II;

•         Update Electric Tariff Section 8.8 in respect of uneconomic extension fund; and

•         Update Electric Tariff Section 11.1 in respect to minimum connection charges and Section 11.2 in respect of metering charges;

B.      In the Application, BC Hydro also seeks approval of other administrative and housekeeping amendments to Electric Tariff Sections 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 11, and Rate Schedules 1640, 1641, 1642, and 1643;

C.      BC Hydro proposes that these amendments be made effective the later of April 1, 2025, or four months following the approval of the proposed amendments by the BCUC; and

D.      The BCUC has commenced its review of the Application and determines 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.       BC Hydro is directed to make the Application and this order available on its website by no later than Tuesday, July 30, 2024. 

3.       BC Hydro is directed, by no later than Tuesday, July 30, 2024, to provide a copy of this order and the Application, electronically where possible, to:

a.       all parties that participated in BC Hydro’s customer and stakeholder workshops and working groups related to the Distribution Extension Policy;

b.       non-integrated area community representatives that participated in BC Hydro’s engagement;

c.       all registered interveners in BC Hydro’s Fiscal 2023 to Fiscal 2025 Revenue Requirements Application and 2015 Rate Design Application proceedings; and

d.       the four complainants impacted by BCUC Letter L-2-19.

4.       BC Hydro is directed to publish notice of the Application and this order to its existing social media platforms by no later than Tuesday, July 30, 2024. BC Hydro must also publish weekly reminder notices on each of its platforms until the conclusion of the intervener registration period on Thursday, August 15, 2024.

5.       BC Hydro is directed to provide to the BCUC by Thursday, August 1, 2024, written confirmation of compliance with the notice requirements in Directives 2 to 4 of this order, including a list of the social media platforms where notice has been shared and confirmation that weekly reminder notices will be published, as well as a list of all parties notified. 

6.       In accordance with the BCUC Rules of Practice and Procedure, parties who wish to actively participate in the proceeding must complete a Request to Intervene Form, available on the Get Involved in a Proceeding section of the BCUC's website at https://www.bcuc.com/GetInvolved/GetInvolvedProceeding, by Thursday, August 15, 2024. Parties may also submit letters of comment by completing a Letter of Comment Form, available on the BCUC’s website. Intervention will be limited to those persons or parties directly or sufficiently affected by the Application.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this      23^rd       day of July 2024.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

M. Jaccard

Commissioner

Attachment

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Distribution Extension Policy