Application requests amalgamation of three gas utilities and common
rates for FortisBC natural gas service areas - excluding Fort Nelson
SURREY, BC, April 29, 2013 /CNW/ - FortisBC has filed an application with the British Columbia Utilities
Commission (BCUC) to reconsider the BCUC's recent decision that denied
FortisBC's request to amalgamate its three gas utilities and adopt
common rates throughout FortisBC's gas service areas.
In April 2012, FortisBC filed an application with the BCUC to amalgamate
its three gas utilities- FortisBC Energy Inc., FortisBC Energy
(Vancouver Island) Inc., and FortisBC (Whistler) Inc. The application
also proposed common rates for all FortisBC natural gas customers in a
given rate class anywhere in the combined service territory. In
February 2013, the BCUC denied the application.
"We believe that this application is important to all of our customers
and is in the public interest. We have decided to ask the BCUC to
reconsider its recent denial of our original application to establish
common rates across our natural gas service territories," said Roger
Dall'Antonia, FortisBC vice president strategic planning, corporate
development & regulatory affairs.
If the amalgamation proceeds and common rates as proposed are adopted,
FortisBC natural gas customers on Vancouver Island and in Whistler will
see lower rates while customers on the Lower Mainland will see slightly
increased rates. FortisBC has decided to exclude Fort Nelson from the
common rate proposal, and such exclusion is not seen as a barrier to
implementing common rates for other FortisBC natural gas service areas.
"As a public utility, our priority is to provide safe, reliable natural
gas service at the lowest reasonable cost to our customers," said
Dall'Antonia. "We believe that amalgamating the three gas utilities
and adopting common rates is in support of this objective."
FortisBC is a regulated utility focused on providing safe and reliable
energy, including natural gas, electricity, propane and thermal energy
solutions. FortisBC employs more than 2,200 British Columbians and
serves approximately 1.1 million customers in more than 135 B.C.
communities. FortisBC is indirectly wholly owned by Fortis Inc., the
largest investor-owned distribution utility in Canada. FortisBC owns
and operates four regulated hydroelectric generating plants,
approximately 7,000 kilometres of transmission and distribution power
lines, and approximately 47,000 kilometres of natural gas transmission
and distribution pipelines. FortisBC Inc., FortisBC Energy Inc.,
FortisBC Energy (Vancouver Island) Inc., and FortisBC Energy (Whistler)
Inc. do business as FortisBC. Fortis Inc. shares are listed on the
Toronto Stock Exchange and trade under the symbol FTS. Additional
information can be accessed at www.fortisinc.com or www.sedar.com.
SOURCE:
FortisBC