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British Columbia Utilities Commission Issues Draft Report Addressing the Regulation of Indigenous Utilities By David Stevens Nov 06, 2019 On November 1, 2019, the British Columbia Utilities Commission issued a Draft Report in its Inquiry Respecting the Regulation of Indigenous Utilities. The Draft Report sets out the commission’s recommendations about the extent to which “Indigenous Utilities” should be regulated in British Columbia.

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OEB to Hear Review Motion Regarding Electricity Distributor’s Proposal for New Office By Fred D. Cass Aug 26, 2019 In August 2019, the Ontario Energy Board issued procedural orders with respect to the hearing of a motion for review of its earlier decision on an application made by Energy+ Inc. for approval of an Advanced Capital Module project.

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OEB Taking a “Refreshed Approach” to Its DER and Utility Remuneration Consultation By David Stevens Jul 24, 2019 On July 17, 2019, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) issued a letter explaining its “refreshed” approach to stakeholder engagement for its previously-announced consultation processes on Utility Remuneration and Responding to Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). Among other things, the OEB’s updated a...

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Ontario Government Planning Expanded Rebate to Electricity Customers By David Stevens Jul 18, 2019 On July 9, the Ontario government posted a Proposal of planned changes to regulations under the Ontario Rebate for Electricity Consumers Act, 2016 that are intended to allow for and direct expanded on-bill rebates or credits for Ontario electricity consumers.

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CAMPUT 2019 - Utility “Hardening” for Extreme Weather Events By David Stevens May 07, 2019 The theme of the 2019 CAMPUT Conference is “Managing the Regulatory Range” – addressing how regulators, utilities and consumers can best prepare for the many challenges that face the industry. An interesting session on May 6 looked at the implications of serious weather-related events on utilitie...

Posted in: British Columbia | Ratemaking | Energy Policy

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British Columbia Utilities Commission Proceeds With Inquiry Into Regulation of Indigenous Utilities By David Stevens May 02, 2019 In response to direction from the British Columbia government (set out in an Order in Council), the British Columbia Utilities Commission has established an Inquiry Respecting the Regulation of Indigenous Utilities.

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Ontario Government Consults on Changes to Industrial Electricity Pricing and Programs By David Stevens Apr 02, 2019 On March 28, the Ontario government announced plans to hold consultations to seek input from businesses about industrial electricity pricing and programs. On April 1, the Ontario government published a consultation notice for this process, confirming that it is looking for input on “electricity ...

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OEB Initiates Consultation Addressing DERs and Utility Remuneration By David Stevens Mar 25, 2019 On March 15, 2019, the Ontario Energy Board announced that it is starting concurrent consultation processes to look at how the electricity sector in Ontario should respond to Distributed Energy Resources and encourage utilities and regulated service providers to “embrace innovation” in their oper...

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Ontario Government Releases OEB Modernization Report By David Stevens Mar 22, 2019 As we explained in an earlier post, the previous Ontario government appointed an expert panel to conduct a review of the OEB, examine best practices from other jurisdictions and report back about potential changes and improvements. The OEB Modernization Review Panel began its work in early 2018, ...

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Ontario Government Releases Its Plan to Reform the OEB and Reduce Electricity Costs By David Stevens Mar 22, 2019 On March 21, 2019, the Ontario government announced a series of plans aimed at lowering electricity costs for consumers and reforming the structure of the Ontario Energy Board.

Posted in: Ratemaking | Practice & Procedure | Ontario

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OEB Takes Steps Towards Implementing “Activity and Program Based Benchmarking” By David Stevens Mar 01, 2019 On February 25, the Ontario Energy Board staff released their Discussion Paper on Activity and Program Based Benchmarking For Electricity Distributors. The stated objective of APB is “to establish a framework to enable the comparison of utility cost performance in specific capital and OM&A activi...

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OEB Staff Recommend Changes to Ontario’s Commercial and Industrial Electricity Rates By David Stevens Feb 25, 2019 On February 21, 2019, the Ontario Energy Board released the Staff Report to the Board on Rate Design for Commercial and Industrial Electricity Customers. The Staff Report is titled “Rates to Support an Evolving Energy Sector” and sets out OEB staff’s recommendations for new rate designs for elect...

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OEB Issues Amendments to Codes to Facilitate Regional Infrastructure Planning By David Stevens Jan 24, 2019 In late December 2018, the Ontario Energy Board issued a Notice of Amendments to Codes to Facilitate Regional Planning. The Notice confirms many changes to the Transmission System Code and Distribution System Code that the OEB has been proposing over the past year to reflect the findings and conc...

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Top Energy Insider Posts of 2018 By Zoë Thoms Jan 21, 2019 2018 saw many interesting developments in the energy sector, both in Ontario and across Canada. The topic that got the most reads on Energy Insider in 2018 was the changes implemented by Ontario’s new provincial government. Other widely-read topics included developments at the Ontario Energy Boar...

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OEB Takes Next Steps to Implement Changes to Utility Customer Service Rules By David Stevens Dec 19, 2018 On December 18, 2018, the Ontario Energy Board issued a Notice setting out next steps to implement the findings in the Report on the Review of Customer Service Rules for Utilities.

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BCUC Report Finds No Need For Regulation of Public EV Charging Stations By David Stevens Dec 12, 2018 On November 26, 2018, the British Columbia Utilities Commission issued its Phase I Report from its Inquiry into the Regulation of Electric Vehicle Charging Service. In this Report, the BCUC found that the public EV charging market does not exhibit monopoly characteristics and economic regulation ...

Posted in: Ratemaking | Practice & Procedure | Ontario

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OEB Increases Service Charges From Distributors to Energy Retailers and Customers By David Stevens Dec 06, 2018 On November 29, 2018, the Ontario Energy Board issued its Report on Energy Retailer Service Charges. The OEB concluded that the current retail service charges from electricity distributors to electricity retailers and their customers need to be increased so that all of the distributors’ costs are...

Posted in: Ontario | Ratemaking | Facilities

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Ontario Proposes New Approach for Expansion of Natural Gas to Unserved Communities By David Stevens Oct 22, 2018 The Ontario government recently proposed amendments to the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 (OEB Act) that are intended to support the expansion of natural gas service to unserved communities. The amendments will provide “rate protection” for consumers where the gas distributor makes investments to...

Posted in: Practice & Procedure | Ratemaking | Ontario

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OEB Allows Hydro One Motion to Review and Vary 2017/2018 Transmission Revenue Requirement Decision By David Stevens Sep 06, 2018 On August 31, 2018, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) released its Decision on Hydro One’s Motion to Review and Vary aspects of the OEB’s earlier Decision and Order setting Hydro One’s transmission revenue requirement for 2017 and 2018.

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OEB Confirms Rejection of Hydro One’s Proposed Acquisition of Orillia Power Distribution By David Stevens Aug 27, 2018 On August 23, 2018, the Ontario Energy Board issued a Decision and Order dismissing a motion to review and vary the OEB’s prior decision denying Hydro One’s application to purchase the shares of Orillia Power Distribution Corporation. The OEB found that the moving parties (Hydro One and Orillia P...

Posted in: Energy Policy | Ratemaking | Manitoba

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Manitoba Hydro Appeals PUB Approval of Special Rates for On-Reserve First Nations Customers By David Stevens Aug 17, 2018 In its Final Order with respect to Manitoba Hydro’s 2017/18 and 2018/19 General Rate Application, the Manitoba Public Utilities Board (PUB) ordered and approved a new rate class and rate for On-Reserve Residential Customers in Manitoba to address bill affordability issues for those customers. Spe...

Posted in: Ratemaking | Practice & Procedure | Ontario

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OEB Issues Scoping Decision in Its Second “Proportionate Review” Proceeding By David Stevens Jun 28, 2018 On June 8, 2018, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) issued a Decision on Scope of Review in the Erie Thames Powerlines Corporation (ETPL) cost of service rate application. This is the second case that the OEB is considering under its new “proportionate review” approach. In the Scope of Review Decisio...

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Nova Scotia Regulator Approves Smart Meter Project By David Stevens and David Mba Jun 18, 2018 Almost a year after receiving Nova Scotia Power Incorporated’s application, the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board has approved the $133.2 million Advanced Metering Infrastructure project that is expected to see the installation of 500,000 digital smart meters in Nova Scotia by 2020.

Posted in: Practice & Procedure | Ratemaking | Alberta

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Alberta Government Makes First Payment to Electrical Utilities Under Price Cap By Zoë Thoms May 25, 2018 The government of Alberta paid $8.3 million to the electrical utilities in April under the province’s price cap. On June 1, 2017, the government introduced a cap on electricity rates of a maximum of 6.8 cents per kWh.

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