British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority 2007 Rate Design Application

Project No. 3698455

Letters of Comment filed under this Exhibit may be viewed at the Commission’s Offices:

British Columbia Utilities Commission Sixth Floor, 900 Howe Street

Vancouver, BC V6Z 2N3 Library Hours: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Letters of Comment received March 28, 2007

RT Byam Ed & Rita Kleywegt Glenda Olson Jane Petrus Gary Richardson

E-48

BC Hydro 333 Dunsrnuir Street 1 6fi Floor Vancouver, B.C . V6B 5R3

Attn: Rate Design

Re: Proposed Changes for Electric Plus Customers

Receipt is acknowiedged sf your l&er dated. Febmaq 8"",, 2007. M y wZe and I are disturbed by your proposal to in effect, eliminate the Electric Plus program. This \vial dramatieally increase our costs for elecxricity and place an u n e financial burden on US.

Wkia we p$bire&saseb ow retirement home in 1996, the Electric Plus Program ms a selling feature that contributed to ow decision to buy. Co~espndingSy~ we entered an agreement (contract) with B e Hydro for the Electric Plus.

It i s well apparent that the direction BC Hydro i s raking, i s to eliminate Elecfxis; Plus ""Pried". The only questinon %s the methodology At the very ka.st, existing agreements (csn~acts) should be honored, through the medium of --~and-fatheSnng~'~ until such time as the customer s e b the home. In om opinion, this is the only reasonable and $"air option,

We would appreciate a response in due course. Thank YOU.

361 College Road Qm'hicum Beach, BC V9K 1 G4

c.c. British C~ku=nbia Utiliefes Commission

Smith, Constance BCUC:EX

From: ed kleywegt [ed4885@yahoo.ca]

Sent: Wed, March 28, 2007 8:21 PM

To: Commission Secretary BCUC:EX

Subject: BC Hydro-2007 Rate Design

Attachments: E Plus Brochure pg1.jpg; E Plus Brocure pg 2.jpg

Page 1 of 2

2007-03-29

Dear Sir/Madam, This e-mail is in regards to the BC Hydro 2007 Rate Design application that your office received from BC Hydro on March 15, 2007, specifically, the section relating to a proposed amendment and subsequent phase out of BC Hydro's Electric Plus Program (EPP). Although we commend BC Hydro for amending their proposal as a result of the comments they received from EPP customers, the amended proposal is unacceptable and unapprovable. We do not make this statement lightly and attach a copy of the BC Hydro Electric Plus Brochure (Revised September 1988 version) to support this position. We quote the following two paragraphs:

1. " Electric Plus rates are fixed until at least March 31, 1991. Even if they change after that, Electric Plus energy will always cost at least one-third less than the regular price of electricity. So you can be sure that once the cost of your installation is paid back, your savings will continue year after year."

2. "Electric Plus is a permanent program, but the number of customers on the special rate will be limited to match the amount of surplus available. This is to avoid overselling the surplus and to maintain good service to all Electric Plus customers."

While researching the purchase of our EPP home in November,1998, the above noted quotes were considered and we came to the following conclusions:

The EPP rates would always cost at least one-third less than the regular price of electricity. The EPP program was a permanent program available to customers who were approved, and made the conversion to meet BC Hydro's requirements, for enrollment into the program.

These two conclusions supported our decision to purchase our residence for a higher price than if our home was not approved for the EPP program. While considering the purchase of our home, the previous owners of our home, had highlighted the fact that this home was equipped with a clean, quiet heating system that they had installed to provide heating energy at a reduced rate. They also felt that a higher asking price was in order as the initial installation costs were not yet realized.

With this information at hand, combined with the conclusions we had reached, we concurred with the previous owners that the EPP was a significant selling feature, and agreed to appropriate compensation.

The commitments made in the attached BC Hydro EPP brochure contain firm wording that indicated

that this program is permanent and the energy used under this program would always be one-third less than the regular price of electricity.

There is no wording indicating that the EPP is amendable, with the exception that the rate could be increased to two-thirds of the cost of the regular price of electricity, for the limited amount of customers approved for the program.

In your agency's consideration of this application, we therefore request that no amendments be approved to the EPP program, except the potential rate increase to two-thirds the cost of the regular price of electricity. This will provide a consistent application of the commitments made by BC Hydro to their potential EPP customers during the promotional stages of this initiative.

Thanks in advance for your consideration, and we trust that the BC Utilities Commission will hold BC Hydro to their original commitments in respect to the EPP.

Ed and Rita Kleywegt

6929 Cherry Creek Rd

Port Alberni, BC

V9Y 8T5

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Page 2 of 2

2007-03-29

. , . Lets You Choose 1 Find Out More About Electric Plus

cmsed I during

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You can select from a variety of&icier~ and If you'd like more details about efficient Electric Plus modern ways to heat electrically with Electric Plus. heating or the various heating systems eligible under the

Plenum Heaters A plenum heater is an electric heating program. caIl your Hydro office. We'll provide data sheets with more technical information, or give you a computer-

coil that goes into the supply-air plenum of an upffow fuel-firad furnace. Instabtion is reIatively simple. It's ized analysis of your possible savings. We also sign you up

one of the most economical ways to convert a fuel-fkd fm-Py m i c e and rate.

forced warm air system. F o r d Warm Air Furnaces An electri an oil or propane forced warm air system, and needs no vents, combustion air or fuel dud-fuel operation, the electric furnace is i to the back-up unit and connected to the ex ductwork.

- '

.

1 All The Advan, + clean + 100 % i " +convenient - + Odorless I, + Versatile

At Half The Price h ' electric heating at a saving of up to 50% over oil or propane

a Enjoy Electric Heat and Save . All the Advantages ! Electric Plus i s Surplus Energy I bl

A * Now you can enjoy clean, quiet, lC!O% efficient electric heating with Electric Plus, a dual-fuel system that will also save you up to 505% on your , fuel costs if you now use

Modern, convenient r Electric Plus doesn't just

, save you money - it also gives you versarility for

4 individual d m and

- convenience. ~ h m y o u ' ~ wnvedng to duaI-

he&, ywlaa wide choice of alternative system as well as substanrial savings over oil or T Add elsctric heating, while keeping your fuel-fired system as a back-up, and you can qualify for the specid low Blectric Plus rate of 2.5 cents per kilowatt-hour (kwh). Electric Plus will save you an estinartted $200 to $450 a year over oil or m e on space heating, and another $1 10 to $130 w water W g if you add it there too.

A wood heating symm may also qualify as back-up for Electric Plw. Savings will vary dqKndhg on y m cost of wood.

FOI mo~t homes, th enthe W S ~ of averting bo dual-MI Electric Plus can be covered by B.C.Hydro financing. Financing is available on approved crodit up to $2500 at Me specid interest rate of 8.5%. And it's conveniently

p y a ~ e on your Hydm bill over periods up to four years.

Electric Plus rates are fixed until at least March 3 1.1991. Even if hey c h g e after that, Electric Plus energy will always cost at least one-third hs than the regular price of electxicity. So you crm be rmn that once the m t of your instahtion is paid back, your savings will continue year after year.

Mddern Electric Heat Enjoy clean, quiet, 100% efficient I electric heat, with zone control options - I

I

Low-interest Financing Use convenient 8.5 % Hydro financhi take up to 4 years to repay

Special Low Rate Cut your fuel bills by up to 50% 7 with the dual-fuel rate of 2.5$ a kW.h

with Interruptible Electric Plus Your Electric Plus energy costs less because it is surplus and not always available. Your back-up system takes over when Electric Plus has to be interrupted.

Electric Plus space & water healing oosts less becaus- =* comes from surplus ener; available w k n the? i c n than enough water-& . A

nxmvoi~'~ ta pro1 ity for B.C.Hydn basic cummitmer:

Since this saYayl not always avdt

heating system in working order to take wt when necessary. Your back! qsystemcanbeoil,plo- pane, butane, w d or cod, but it must be able to heat the entire area served by Electric rlus wben it's necessary to htempt the lam. Back-up system must use fuels amred on your p q ~ r t y . Many back-up heating s y s m can be set up a take over automaticalfy when EIectric Plus is intermpted.

We intend to Iimit intemptions to no more than I20 days in total prim to W h 31.1991. After that they will still be kept to a minimum. because it's in h th your Htcmt and ours to have Electric Plus used for hearing whenever here is surpIus energy.

I n m m s will somthm be necessary when surplus energy is unavailable. Whm this happens, the interrup- tion wi l l likely last throughout an entire heating season. 'Youll be notified at least 30 days in advance, and your other electricity use, such as for lights and appliances, bill not be affected.

Electric Plus is a permanent p r o m but the number of customemonthespecialrakwinbelimitadtomatchthe amount of surplus available. 'Ibis is to avoid overseling the suiplus rind to maintain good service to all Electric Plus customers.

. %

Grasty, Kathy BCUC:EX

From: Glenda Olson [gamolson@hotmail.com]

Sent: March 28, 2007 12:02 PM

To: Complaints BCUC:EX

Cc: jonnyo70@hotmail.com

Subject: Rate increase-E-PLUS

Page 1 of 1

2007-04-27

PLEASE ACCEPT THIS E-MAIL AS MY FORMAL REQUEST TO NOT GRANT A RATE INCREASE TO B.C. HYDRO FOR E-PLUS ELECTRIC RATES. WHEN I WAS FIRST OFFERED ENTRY INTO THE E-PLUS PROGRAM, IT WAS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO QUALIFY AS I HAD TO BUILD INTO MY HEATING SYSTEM AN ALTERNATIVE FURNACE AS WELL AS WATER HEATING SYSTEM----THIS REQUIRED NOT ONLY THE DUPLICATE SYSTEM BUT THE ELECTRIC FURNACE AND HEAVY DUTY WIREING AS WELL. I STILL HAVE NOT RECOVERED THE COST SAVINGS AS PROMISED BY B.C. HYDRO AND I FEEL IT OUTRAGOUS FOR THEM TO REQUEST A INCREASE AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. MONTE OLSON,P.O. BOX 1134, VANDERHOOF, B.C. V0J 3A0

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Gary Richardson 2534 Kilgary Place Victoria, BC V8N 1J5

Robert Hobbs, CEO

BC Utilities Commission

Box 250, 900 Howe S"leel:

Sixth Floor

Vancouver BC, V6Z 2N3

Dear Robert Hobbs:

Re: Increased rates for Electric Plus Customers

I'm writing to express my strong opposition to you increasing my electricity rates. I have worked very hard to reduce my consumption by replacing my appliances, light bulbs and Christmas lights. Also I maintain two heating and hot water systems for many years to qualify for eclectic plus.

I think this increase is unwarranted and just another increased cost that is breaking the backs of working people in this province.

I ask that you not increase my hydro rates or anyone else's who has electric plus. You should instead promote reduced use and conservation through education and incentives.

Please don't make it any harder for me and my family to live here, Im a single parent and we are already just able to make ends meet.

Gary Richardson