P.U. 1(2000-2001)
IN THE MATTER OF THE PUBLIC
UTILITIES ACT, R.S.N. 1990,
CHAPTER P-47 ("THE ACT")
IN THE MATTER OF AN
APPLICATION
BY NEWFOUNDLAND POWER INC.
(THE “APPLICANT”)TO AMEND
THE
CONTRIBUTION IN AID OF
CONSTRUCTION
(CIAC) POLICY OF THE
APPLICANT,
APPROVED BY ORDER NO. P.U.
7 (1997-98)
PURSUANT TO SECTION 41 OF
THE ACT.
WHEREAS the
Applicant is a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the
Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, is a public utility within the meaning
of the Act, and is also subject to the provisions of the Electrical Power Control Act, 1994,
and
WHEREAS in Order No. P.U. 7
(1997-98) the Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities (the “Board”) approved
a revised CIAC Policy for the Applicant, which became effective on October 1,
1997 (the “Policy”) and which established the terms and conditions under which
the Applicant may demand a contribution towards the cost of an improvement or
addition to its property, and
WHEREAS the
Policy provides that, for customers whose premises are located on the opposite
side of the road from where the Applicant’s distribution line is located, the
length of line required to cross the road right-of-way shall not be included in
the calculation of the CIAC, and
WHEREAS a
question has arisen with respect to the interpretation of the said provision
and, in order to clarify the interpretation of the Policy, the Applicant has proposed
that the Policy be amended by revising Clause 3 (c) of the CIAC Policy: Distribution Line Extensions to Residential and
Seasonal Residential Customers (the “Residential Policy”) and Clause 3 of the CIAC Policy: Distribution Line
Extensions and Upgrades to General Service Customers (the “General Service
Policy”), and
WHEREAS in
Order No. P.U. 39 (1998-99) the Board approved revised distribution line Cost
Per Metre factors to be used in conjunction with the Policy in the calculation
of all CIACs effective from December 11, 1998, and
WHEREAS the Policy provides
that, for line extensions jointly used by the Applicant and NewTel
Communications Inc., the construction cost used to calculate the CIAC shall be
reduced and the reduction is accomplished by the use of separate joint-use
Distribution Line Cost Per Metre factors and Distribution Plant Support
factors, and
WHEREAS the use of separate
joint-use factors has the effect of distorting the calculation of CIAC amounts
for three-phase services whose load does not support the additional plant
required, and
WHEREAS to rectify this
situation, the Applicant has proposed that the use of separate joint-use
Distribution Line Cost Per Metre factors and Distribution Plant Support factors
be replaced with a Joint-Use Allowance Credit Per Metre and that the Policy be
amended by revising Clause 7 of both the Residential Policy and the General
Service Policy, and
WHEREAS Clause 11 of the
Residential Policy sets out certain conditions applicable to the payment of CIACs
by residential and seasonal residential customers and, in order to provide
customers with more flexible payment options, the Applicant has proposed that
Clause 11 be amended, and
WHEREAS
Clause 9 of the General Service Policy sets out certain conditions applicable
to the payment of CIACs by general service customers and, in order to provide
customers with more flexible payment options, the Applicant proposes that
Clause 9 be amended, and
WHEREAS the proposed revision to Clause 11 of the Residential Policy and Clause 9 of the General Service Policy provide customers with more flexible options for the payment of CIACs with no material increase in the financial risk to the Applicant.
IT
IS THEREFORE ORDERED THAT:
Pursuant
to Section 41 of the Act, the Board approves the revision of Clauses 3 (c), 7
and 11 of the Residential Policy, and Clauses 3, 7 and 9 of the General Service
Policy as attached hereto and marked Schedule “A”, Schedule “B” and Schedule “C”,
respectively.
DATED
at St. John’s, Newfoundland, this 4th day of April, 2000.
________________________
David
A. Vardy,
Chairperson.
John
William Finn, Q.C.,
Commissioner.
G.
Fred Saunders
Commissioner.
Darlene
Whalen, M.A.Sc., P.Eng.,
Commissioner.
_____________________
G. Cheryl Blundon,
Director of Corporate
Services
and Board Secretary.