Definitions

1   In this direction:

"Act" means the Utilities Commission Act;

"applicable Fortis customer" means a Fortis customer that

(a) had an open account on December 31, 2023, and

(b) was receiving service under a Fortis rate;

"applicable Nelson customer" means a Nelson customer that

(a) had an open account on December 31, 2023, and

(b) was receiving service under a Nelson rate;

"Fortis" means FortisBC Inc.;

"Fortis rate" means a rate schedule set out in Schedule 1;

"Nelson" means the Corporation of the City of Nelson in relation to the provision of service to the non-municipal service area, also known as the rural service area;

"Nelson rate" means a rate set out in Schedule 2.

Application

2   This direction is issued to the commission under section 3 of the Act.

Direction respecting credits for applicable Fortis customers

3   (1) Within 10 days of the date this direction comes into force, the commission must issue final orders requiring Fortis, subject to subsection (2), to provide to an applicable Fortis customer, on each bill issued by Fortis in respect of service provided to the applicable Fortis customer during the period from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, a credit calculated using the following formula:

(2) Fortis may provide the credit owed in respect of the first billing period ending on or after April 1, 2024 on either the first or the second bill issued after that date.

Direction respecting credits for applicable Nelson customers

4   Within 10 days of the date this direction comes into force, the commission must issue final orders requiring Nelson to provide to each applicable Nelson customer a one-time credit equal to the greater of the following amounts:

(a) in respect of the period from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023, 4.6% of the total charges billed to the applicable Nelson customer for service under the applicable Nelson rate;

(b) the sum of $24.

1   The rate schedules for the purpose of the definition of "Fortis rate" are the following:

(a) 1;

(b) 2A;

(c) 20;

(d) 21;

(e) 22A;

(f) 23A;

(g) 30;

(h) 31;

(i) 32;

(j) 33;

(k) 50;

(l) 60;

(m) 61.

1   The rates for the purpose of the definition of "Nelson rate" are the following rates established under Hydro Services Bylaw No. 3196, 2012:

(a) A-3;

(b) B-4;

(c) C-4;

(d) F-2;

(e) G-4.