BCUC Issues Final Report for Stage 1 of its Safety Inquiry

VANCOUVER, BC, Dec. 22, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) issued its Stage 1 final report for its Inquiry into the Regulation of Safety (Safety Inquiry).

The BCUC proactively established a Safety Inquiry to seek clarity on its role in regulating the safety of British Columbia's (BC) public utilities. The BCUC is one of several regulators in BC that share responsibility in overseeing public utility safety.

Stage 1 of the Safety Inquiry explored the nature and extent of the BCUC's jurisdiction to regulate the safety of public utilities under the Utilities Commission Act (UCA), the conditions, if any, under which the BCUC can forbear from regulating the safety of public utilities, and setting out a framework of key principles to guide the BCUC in carrying out its safety-related duties.

The BCUC conducted an open and public inquiry process for the first stage of the Safety Inquiry that included engagement and feedback from 17 interveners and 5 interested parties. The BCUC also received 6 letters of comment and held one procedural conference.

In the Stage 1 final report, the BCUC found, among other things, that it has jurisdiction over all aspects of public utility safety and that it does not have the power to forbear its jurisdiction over public utility safety.

The BCUC identified key principles respecting regulatory overlaps, operational gaps, exemptions from the UCA, keeping informed, and safety considerations when adjudicating. The following is a summary of a few of the key principles that will guide the BCUC in carrying out its safety oversight.

Regulato­ry Overlaps	The BCUC should refrain from actively regulating public utility safety in areas where it is satisfied that another regulatory body is providing adequate safety oversight.
Operational Gaps	The BCUC should ensure that any operational gaps that emerge in the regulation of public utility safety are filled.
Safety Considerations when Adjudicating	The BCUC should continue to consider relevant aspects of public utility safety in all of its adjudications, including when determining whether an application is in the public interest and whether rates are just and reasonable.

Now that Stage 1 of the Safety Inquiry has concluded, the BCUC will start Stage 2 to explore the application of the principles and will set out actions the BCUC will take when implementing its safety mandate.

A summary of the Stage 1 final report in the Safety Inquiry can be found here and the complete Stage 1 final report can be found here.

For more information about the Safety Inquiry, please visit the proceeding page.

Background

In September 2020, the BCUC initiated a Safety Inquiry to examine the BCUC's role in the regulation of safety. In August 2022, the BCUC issued its draft report for Stage 1 of the Safety Inquiry to share its proposed findings and invited public feedback on the report.

About the BCUC

The BCUC is an independent regulatory body, responsible for regulating BC's energy utilities, as well as its compulsory automobile insurance rates, and intra-provincial pipeline rates. The BCUC is also responsible for administering BC's Fuel Price Transparency Act. It is the BCUC's role to balance the interests of customers with the interests of the businesses it regulates. The BCUC carries out fair and transparent reviews of matters within its jurisdiction and considers public input where public interest is impacted.

SOURCE British Columbia Utilities Commission

Krissy Van Loon, Manager, Communications, Phone: [phone], Email: [email protected]