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Notice of Public Hearing Electric Power Rates and Other Matters Maritime Electric Company,
Limited WHEREAS on or about June 24, 2015, Maritime Electric Company, Limited ("Maritime Electric") filed an application with the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission ("IRAC" or "Commission") requesting the approval of expenditures to design, construct and commission a 50 MW combustion turbine generator (Commission Docket UE#20723) ("CT4 Application"); AND WHEREAS on or about August 7, 2015, Maritime Electric filed an application with the Commission seeking to amend rates of depreciation with respect to Maritime Electric's several classes of property for the period beginning January 1, 2016 (Commission Docket UE#21603) ("Depreciation Rate Application"); AND WHEREAS on or about October 28, 2015, Maritime Electric filed an application with the Commission seeking to approve proposed amendments to the rates, tolls and charges for electric service for the period beginning March 1, 2016 (Commission Docket UE#20942) ("General Rate Application"); AND WHEREAS public comment was received and interrogatories were exchanged with respect to the foregoing Applications; AND WHEREAS on or about January 29, 2016, Maritime Electric advised the Commission that it has the ability to procure access to 50 MW of firm capacity and accordingly withdrew its CT4 Application in Commission Docket UE#20723, which withdrawal has been accepted by the Commission; AND WHEREAS on or about January 29, 2016, Maritime Electric filed with the Commission an agreement between Maritime Electric and the Government of Prince Edward Island ("Agreement"), which Agreement addresses the matters raised in the General Rate Application and the Depreciation Rate Application, as well as other matters relating to electric service in the Province of Prince Edward Island; AND WHEREAS on or about January 29, 2016, the Commission issued a procedural Order directing that the Depreciation Rate Application be consolidated and heard together with the General Rate Application as part of Commission Docket UE#20942; TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Section 20 of the Electric Power Act, R.S.P.E.I. 1988, Cap. E-4, Maritime Electric seeks the Commission's approval of the Agreement as part of its General Rate Application, Commission Docket UE#20942. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Agreement amends Maritime Electric's initial filing in its General Rate Application, and in particular, amends the proposed rates, tolls and charges for electric service filed therein. BACKGROUND Since March 1, 2011, electricity rates in PEI have been legislated under amendments to the Electric Power Act as part of the PEI Energy Accord between the Government of PEI and Maritime Electric. The rates legislated in accordance with the PEI Energy Accord will expire on February 29, 2016. As a result, Maritime Electric seeks to have the rates, tolls and charges for electric service amended effective as of March 1, 2016. DETAILS Through public comment and interrogatories in the General Rate Application, the Depreciation Rate Application, and the CT4 Application, various issues were identified with respect to electric service in the Province of PEI. The Government of PEI (as represented by the Minister of Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy) and Maritime Electric have entered into a three (3) year Agreement that is intended to address certain issues identified by the parties. The Agreement is subject to the review and approval of the Commission as part of Commission Docket UE#20942. The Agreement, if approved by the Commission, will commence effective March 1, 2016 and will expire on February 28, 2019. The key terms of the Agreement are as follows:
HOW TO SEE THE
AGREEMENT A public hearing will be held with respect to the General Rate Application and the Depreciation Rate Application. The Agreement will be considered as part of the hearing. The public hearing will commence at 9:30 am on Thursday, February 25, 2016 in the Commission's main hearing room, located on the 5th Floor of the National Bank Tower, 134 Kent Street, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. HOW TO COMMENT Any interested party wishing to have formal standing to present evidence under oath or to cross-examine witnesses may apply to the Commission for intervener status. In order to be considered, applications for intervener status must be made in writing and received by the Commission no later than 4:00 pm on Tuesday, February 16, 2016. Any person wishing to make a verbal submission to the Commission, but who does not intend to call evidence or cross-examine witnesses may do so at the evening session of the hearing, which is scheduled to commence at 7:00 pm on Thursday, February 25, 2016. Persons wishing to speak at the evening session must register with the Commission, in writing, no later than 4:00 pm on Tuesday, February 16, 2016. Only persons who have registered in advance will be permitted to make a verbal submission. Presentations at the evening session will follow the order in which interested persons register with the Commission. Any person wishing to comment on the matter, but not intending to appear at the hearing, may write to the Commission at the address below. In order to be considered, written comments must be received by the Commission no later than 4:00 pm on Thursday, February 18, 2016. All comments will be made public on the Commission website at www.irac.pe.ca.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Additional information on the General Rate Application, the Depreciation Rate Application and the Agreement can be obtained by contacting Maritime Electric at 902-629-3756. Written communications should be forwarded to:
DATED at Charlottetown, this 29th day of January, 2016. Posted: 2016/01/29
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