19. Future Changes to FAR Rates and Service
The operational changes adopted in this decision apply to the three-year backbone transmission cycle starting on October 1, 2011.93 As discussed above, parties may propose changes to the scheduling priorities adopted by this decision in the 2012 SDG&E/SoCalGas Customer Forum. Parties may propose other changes to the FAR system in the 2011 TCAP. Any changes that may be adopted in the 2011 TCAP will not become effective until the three-year backbone transmission cycle beginning October 1, 2014.94
D.06-12-031 provided for an initial review of the newly-established FAR system to assess its performance and to determine if any adjustments or modifications were needed. This proceeding has undertaken that review.
D.06-12-031 did not, however, provide for subsequent or ongoing periodic reviews of the FAR system in order to continue assessing its performance or to make further modifications as the system matures.
No party opposes the recommendation for issues in connection with future unbundled BTS revenue requirement to be considered in the 2011 TCAP. All of the active parties recommend that parties also be permitted in the 2011 TCAP to propose changes to the provisions of the JRO adopted by this decision, with one exception.
The exception is that parties should be permitted, as discussed above, to revisit the scheduling priorities adopted by this decision in the 2012 SDG&E/SoCalGas Customer Forum, to be convened during the second quarter of 2012, in accordance with the Customer Forum process set forth in the BCAP Phase II Settlement adopted by the Commission in D.09-11-006.
Our review of the FAR system established by D.06-12-031 has provided an important opportunity to consider useful modifications that will substantially improve the system's operation and thereby benefit customers and the public. Additional adjustments and modifications to the FAR system may be needed as we gain more experience with it and as the southern California gas market evolves.
It is reasonable to provide parties an opportunity to propose changes to the FAR system in the 2011 TCAP because this will provide a way to consider further modifications to the FAR system that may be necessary.
Consistent with the Phase II Settlement adopted in D.09-11-006, the 2011 TCAP should not be limited only to considering proposed changes to the provisions adopted by this decision, but to also provide parties an opportunity to propose other changes to the FAR system that are not appropriate for consideration in the Customer Forum.
Except for the scheduling priorities adopted in this decision that should be re-examined in the 2012 SDG&E/SoCalGas Customer Forum, it is reasonable that the modifications adopted by this decision and identified in Exhibit JRO-1 should remain in effect during the three-year backbone transmission cycle beginning on October 1, 2011, and that any operational changes to the FAR system adopted in the 2011 TCAP should not become effective until the three-year backbone transmission cycle beginning October 1, 2014.
93 This adopts Recommendation No. 15.a of Exhibit No. JRO-1.
94 This adopts Recommendation No. 15.b of Exhibit No. JRO-1.
