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The Citizen, 2002-05-29, Page 6Ontario Energy Board Commission de l'Energie de ('Ontario NOTICE OF APPLICATION AND NOTICE OF WRITTEN HEARING HYDRO ONE NETWORKS INC. - ELECTRICITY RATE CHANGE Ontario R P-2000-0023/ EB-2001-0450 RP-2002-0101/ EB-2002-0121 Particulars of The Application The electricity rates for customers of the former Blyth Public Utilities Commission ("the Blyth PUC') must be unbundled into electricity distribution rates and rates for power and other charges in order to meet the requirements of new legislation. In 2001, Hydro One Networks Inc. ("Networks"), the new owner, filed an application (the "Initial Application") with the Board with respect to rates for the distribution of electricity for these customers. The Board assigned file number RP-2000-0023/EB-2001-0450 to the Initial Application. In December 2001. the Board approved the rates requested in the Initial Application on an interim basis. In March 2002, Networks filed an application (the "Rate Adjustment Application") to adjust electricity distribution rates in the service area of the former Blyth PUC in accordance with the annual price cap adjustment of the Board's Electricity Distribution Rate Handbook (the "Rate Handbook"). The Board assigned file number RP-2002- 0101/EB-2002-0121 to the Rate Adjustment Application. The Board has determined that the Initial Application and the Rate Adjustment Application shall be considered jointly. The Rate Handbook stipulates that the distribution rate component of the electricity bill must be subdivided into a fixed monthly charge and a variable charge. This rate restructuring, while having no overall impact on Networks' revenues, may result in individual customer rate changes. The Rate Handbook also allows a utility to apply for a change in its distribution rates in order to earn up to a market based rate of return after tax. The Board has determined that rate increases due to a utility's proposal to earn a market-based rate of return must be phased in over the three years of the utility's Performance-based Rate plan (the "PBR plan"). On January 31, 2001, the Blyth PUC was acquired by Networks. Networks is required to make payments in lieu of taxes to the Ministry of Finance for such acquired utilities commencing upon the acquisition date, and is therefore seeking to adjust rates in Blyth to recover these amounts from ratepayers. In the Initial Application, Networks has applied for a rate of return on common equity ("MBRR") of 9.88% to be used for rate-setting purposes in this service area. Networks' selection of this MBRR results in an additional $33,539 per annum to be recovered in rates, which is inclusive of PILs. Networks proposes to recover this amount in three approximately equal increments over the three years of the PBR plan. In the Initial Application, Networks applied for an increase in rates for the first increment of $11,180. The rates proposed in the Initial Application result in an increase of 2.2% (based on 1999 rates) on the bill for a residential customer with a monthly electricity consumption of 1,000 kWh. The first year impact for a general service customer with a monthly consumption of 2,000 kWh is an electricity bill increase of 0.5%. Networks applied for the proposed rates to be effective October 1, 2001. In December 2001 the Board approved the rates proposed in the Initial Application on an interim basis, but this interim increase is subject to review by the Board. In the Rate Adjustment Application, Networks proposes to implement the second MBRR increment along with the annual PBR rate adjustment. The second year incremental impact for a residential customer with monthly consumption of 1,000 kWh is 1.1%, and for a general service customer consuming 2,000 kWh per month is 1.0%. Due to rate restructuring, individual customer bill impacts may be higher or lower depending on a customer's electricity consumption. Networks has proposed that the adjusted rates be effective March 1, 2002 but implemented August 1, 2002 or later. Under this proposal customers may be subject to a one-time rate adjustment. The adjustments to rates proposed are primarily based on formulas approved by the Board in past proceedings. The Board will consider the cumulative impact of these adjustments in reviewing the proposed distribution rates. How To See The Applicant's Pre-filed Evidence Copies of all documents filed by Networks for these applications for the former Blyth PUC service area are available for inspection at the Board's offices, at Networks' head offices in Toronto, or at the office of the Clerk of the affected municipality. If you intend to participate in the proceeding, Networks, upon request, is required to give you a copy of its applications with respect to the proceeding in which you. intend to participate. Hearing Unless a party satisfies the Board that the applications by Networks for the service area of the former -Blyth PUC should proceed by way of an oral or electronic hearing, the Board intends to proceed by way of a written hearing in this matter. How To Participate If you wish to participate in this proceeding you must, within 28 calendar days of the publication of this Notice, file with the Board 6 copies of your submissions (including submissions on the type of hearing) with respect to these applications. A copy of your submissions must also be sent to Networks at the address below. Information on how to participate may be obtained from the Board's Customer Service Centre at 1-877-632-2727 or by e-mail at Boards_ec @ oeb.gov.on.ca. Please reference Board file numbers RP-2000-0023/EB-2001-0450 and RP-2002-0101/EB-2002-0121 on all correspondence. IMPORTANT IF YOU DO NOT FILE WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS OR PROVIDE REASONS FOR NOT HOLDING A WRITTEN HEARING, THE BOARD WILL PROCEED WITHOUT YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOU WILL NOT BE ENTITLED TO ANY FURTHER NOTICE OF THE PROCEEDING. Addresses Ontario Energy Board Hydro One Networks Inc. P.O. Box 2319 Regulatory Affairs 2300 Yonge Street 13" Floor, North Tower 26" Floor 483 Bay Street Toronto, Ontario M4P 1E4 Toronto, Ontario M5G 2P5 Attn: Mr. Paul B. Pudge Attn: Mr. Glen MacDonald Board Secretary Senior Advisor- Toll Free: 1-888-632-6273 Regulatory Review Fax: 416-440-7656 Regulatory Affairs Phone: 416-345-5913 Fax: 416-345-5866 DATED at Toronto May B, 2002. ONTARIO ENERGY BOARD Paul B. Pudge Board Secretary PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2002. N. Huron caps Wheels has agreements contribution By Mark Nonkes Wingharn Advance-Times North Huron council has decided to cap a $2,500 donation to Wheels Away, a non-profit organization providing transportation for the disabled. The decision was made at the second monthly meeting of council, following a presentation by Wheels Away representatives Diane Grummett and Bev Woodley. It was a meeting where Wheels Away representatives were met with resistance from several councillors. Wingham. Hort. Soc. gets Trillium funding The Wingham Horticultural Society was recently named as the recipient of a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. The group was one of several in Huron, Grey, Bruce and Perth Counties to have projects funded. The Wingham Horticultural Society will receive $26,000 over one year to build an Alice Munro Literary Garden. Munro, a novelist was born and raised in Wingham. The society hopes the garden will not only be enjoyed by local residents but serve to attract tourists to the area. Additional local fundraising will help ensure the project's success. The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an agency of the Ministry of Culture. It annually receives $100 million in funding generated through charity casinos. Policing costs jump $1121900 from 2001 Continued from page 1 Morris-Turnberry and North Huron. With budgets being as tight as they are, White explained much of the road work on a single street now has to be done over two summers instead of one. Policing makes up the fourth highest total of the budget at $784,260. Policing costs are up $112,900 from last year. Other costs are sanitation, up by $51,942; street lights up by $11,000 and recycling which will increase by $31,095. Another jump in spending from last year is a 30 per cent increase in insurance rates because of the Sept. II terrorist attacks. Council also allotted more than half of its donations to Communities in BlOoms with $16,000 of the $23,470 budgeted going towards the group. Last year council budgeted $2,500 for Wheels Away, but footed a bill of $3,858.17 by the end of the year: "For many individuals we are their only transportation," Woodley said. Under the current agreement, council contributes 30 cents for every resident in the municipality and for every ride taken, council pays $3. "I think any of these programs, and I don't know how to say this, get abused," Councillor Murray Nesbitt said. "There is no criteria saying what they can and can't do," Councillor Jeff Howson said. "I can't think of any instance where there isn't a need for it," Woodley responded. "If you had a stroke tomorrow we could transport you to where you wanted to go." In fact, Wheels Away has an application process that follows the provincial Ministry of Transportation's guidelines to identify disabled people who are eligible for the service. Wheels Away covers an area from Teeswater to Bluewater municipality and Huron, Morris-Turnberry and Howick twps. for funding. "It's quite costly for clients if their municipality doesn't fund it," Woodley said. Last year Huron East pulled the plug on funding Wheels Away. According to Wheels Away representative Dianne Grummett, many of the riders have stopped going places because of the incredible expense travelling. "For all it costs them, I don't know where they get off," Gummett said. Still North Huron council had more concerns at the meeting. "You've always had one vehicle. What was the second vehicle you purchased?" Councillor Arnold Taylor asked. Wheels Away recently purchased a car that picks up people who can walk but are still not able to leave home without assistance. In the near future, Wheels Away is looking to replace its wheelchair-accessible van as it has more than 270,000 kilometres on it. The new van, with four spots for .wheelchairs, would cost $68,000 and will hopefully be funded by a Trillium grant. In 1997, Wheels Away had to scramble to make up more than $55,000 when the Ontario government withdrew its assistance. Later in the evening, after the delegation had left, council further discussed the issue. "There are certain things that I'm hearing out in the public that I'm not convinced this is an essential service," Howson said. At that time council decided to cap the $2,500 which will be divided and given quarterly.