Interim Regulated Rate Tariff
EPCOR Energy Alberta GP Inc. (“EEA”) applied for approval of its 2016 interim non-energy regulated rate tariff (“RRT”) effective January 1, 2016. EEA’s application was applicable to its 2016 RRT service provided to the EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc. (“EDTI”) and FortisAlberta Inc. (“FAI”) service areas. EEA submitted that, as there was insufficient time for the AUC to consider EEA’s 2016-2017 RRT application in Proceeding 20633 and approve any such RRT on a final basis before January 1, 2016, an interim tariff was in order.
EEA requested approval of the following items as part of its application:
(a) The 2016 forecast non-energy charge for each EEA customer class, as applied-for in EEA’s 2016-2017 RRT application in Proceeding 20633;
(b) EEA’s hearing cost reserve and short-term incentive deferral accounts, as applied-for in Proceeding 20633;
(c) The price schedules, including miscellaneous fees, attached as schedules A-1 (EDTI service area) and A-2 (FAI service area) to its application;
(d) EEA’s RRT terms and conditions of service, approved in Decision 3574-D01-2015, attached as Schedule B-1 to its application; and
(e) That any interim tariff remain in effect until the earlier of the AUC’s approval of EEA’s application in Proceeding 20633 and EEA’s implementation of the same, or the AUC’s approval for revisions to the applied for interim RRT.
EEA further submitted that the application resulted in just and reasonable tolls and was in the public interest. EEA’s proposed 2016 interim non-energy charges reflect the lower costs applied for by EEA in Proceeding 20633 as compared with EEA’s current 2015 RRT non-energy charges. EEA also submitted that the implementation of the 2016 interim tariff would result in a smaller true-up once 2016 final rates are in effect as compared to the continued collection of 2015 non-energy charges on an interim basis.
The AUC noted that EEA was requesting significant changes to its current RRT non-energy charges in Proceeding 20633, noting that non-energy charges were slated to drop for all customer classes by at least 20 percent (with the exception of security lights.) The AUC further determined that customers would not be prejudiced by an approval of interim rates, given their refundable nature. Accordingly, the AUC approved EEA’s non-energy RRT charges on an interim refundable basis.
