Message: D17-3054

From: BoardSec
To: Batul Rahimtoola
Cc:
Sent: 2017-10-03 at 11:01 AM
Received: 2017-10-03 at 11:01 AM
Subject: FW: Natural Gas - EB-2015-0179





-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Lamming [mailto:klamming@princetwp.ca]
Sent: March 9, 2017 5:51 PM
To: BoardSec
Subject: Natural Gas

PLease make sure all board members get this and the Chair

Hello Mayor/CAO,



I wanted to provide you an update on our plans to file with the OEB the request for approval to bring natural gas to your community. As you are aware from recent discussions, Union Gas had plans to update the application we submitted back in 2015 and submit an amended application to the OEB in March with the hope that we could gain approval to begin natural gas construction to your community later this summer.



Several weeks ago Union requested confirmation from the OEB that the application for your community be considered non-competitive, as you had indicated that there was no other company that had approached you to service your municipality and we currently have Franchise agreements in place. We requested the Board to expedite the regulatory review process so that we and our expectation was that confirmation from the Board would enable a shortened adjudication process for our amended filing. Last Friday we received a response from the OEB that indicated they intended to allow other parties to notify the OEB of their interest in serving the area prior to considering Union’s application. More importantly, the Board will not begin to evaluate Union’s application to serve your areas until after the Board determines the process that will be established through the first phase of a proceeding on franchise applications from EPCOR for the Southern Bruce area. Union believes the Board’s response indicates that they will not ask if any other parties are interested in serving your areas until late April at the earliest, which means that a proceeding to actually consider Union’s application will be delayed by several months.



Union Gas will be responding to the Ontario Energy Board and expressing our disappointment in this decision. Our application to service your community has already been held up by a year in order for the Board to conduct a generic proceeding on community expansion.
Further, the application to provide service to your community was initiated almost a year before the Epcor application, and we feel it is inappropriate to hold up your project for an application that was filed later. Union Gas believes that this creates an unnecessary delay that will push construction into 2018.



If you would also like to follow up with the Ontario Energy Board, letters expressing your concern on timelines and reaffirmation that you currently have franchise agreements with Union Gas and have not been approached by another company, you can send them to (fill in address of OEB).

Ms. Kirsten Walli

Ontario Energy Board

2300 Yonge Street, 27th Floor

Toronto, ON

M4P 1E4

March 10 2017

To Ms. Kirsten Walli

Ontario Energy Board







I am the Mayor of Prince Township and have been trying to get natural gas for five years now. We do have an Franchise agreement in place to allow Prince Township to proceed to get Natural Gas. We have been working with Union Gas the only supplier in our area to make this happen. As you know our application went to the OEB and this caused many months’ delay and we can live with your boards decision. The Union Gas sent me this letter . There are many senior residents that live in my Township and other residents having trouble making end meet. Every year the OEB delays our Township of Natural gas cost them thousands of dollars. In the new application, Union Gas, has applied for on our behalf meets all your requirements and I wish you not delay this any more and approve it so that we could move forward with this for my residents this summer.My Residents ,Council and My self beg you and your board not delay this application any longer If you would like to call me it would be a pleasure to talk to you 705 971 3663 or you can email me at klamming@princetwp.ca If you look at our area which is up north there is no other gas company , if there was it would be in Sault Ste Marie now/ Please do not delay this any longer Mayor Ken Lamming Prince Township