FortisBC Inc. (FortisBC) Application for a Certificate of Public ...

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FortisBC Inc. (FortisBC or the Company)
Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
for the Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project
Response to British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC or the Commission)
Information Request (IR) No. 1
Submission Date:
October 5, 2012
Page 198
FortisBC field staff are sometimes required to perform electrical service disconnections for
safety reasons at RCMP request during the execution of search warrants. These employees
attend only with the RCMP on site.
Response:
85.4 What actions does FortisBC take when it discovers a marijuana grow operation
has been diverting electricity?
If electricity theft is discovered, it is reported to police with the detail of the daily losses
calculated during the field investigation. If the RCMP executes a search warrant, FortisBC will
request a report from the attending constable or electrician on the details of the diversion (i.e.
parties at the scene, actual load, timer settings and estimated duration of the theft). An invoice
will be issued to the perpetrators of the theft, which will be provided to the RCMP along with a
request for restitution in any court proceedings. FortisBC will use customary collection
strategies to facilitate invoice payment.
Response:
85.4.1 How successful has FortisBC been in back-billing marijuana grow
operators who have been diverting electricity? Please quantify.
FortisBC back-billed $0.714 million from 2006 – 2011 for the costs associated with theft of
electricity and collected $0.355 million for the same period. Approximately 98 percent of this
amount is related to marijuana grow operations. Details are provided in the table which follows.
Year Invoiced Collected
2006 $ 145,168 $
79,982
2007 $ 111,867 $ 100,003
2008 $ 168,720 $
64,602
2009 $ 78,164 $
45,836
2010 $ 124,357 $
32,617
2011 $ 86,135 $
32,045
Total $ 714,411 $
355,086