Application Planning Tool
The Application Planning Tool allows users to estimate the duration of a proceeding. It provides the mandatory steps as well as optional steps that can occur during the course of a proceeding. For the purposes of estimating the duration of a proceeding, the Application Planning Tool assumes that a hearing occurs.
How to Use
Select an application performance standard from the dropdown below. Enter the date in which the completeness letter was issued (or expected to be issued) by the OEB. A table will populate with all of the mandatory steps for the selected performance standard.
Optional steps are also provided for additional events that may arise and, consequently, affect the duration of a proceeding. The estimated completion date and calendar day duration are shown for each step while the total calendar days are provided at the bottom of the table.
To customize the timeline, steps can be added or removed. To add or remove: click on the checkbox beside the appropriate step.
The Application Planning Tool takes holidays into consideration when calculating the estimated date for each step, including the annual OEB holiday timeout period which occurs at the end of December and the beginning of January. As a result, the calendar date shown may not align with the step duration due to accounting for a holiday.
How to identify the stepsGrey steps: These are steps that are optional or steps that have been removed by the user.
No checkbox: These are mandatory steps (e.g., Completeness Letter, Decision). Some of these steps are related to other steps (e.g., Interrogatories and Applicant's Responses to Interrogatories); if the initiating step (e.g., Interrogatories) is added/removed, the related step(s) (e.g., Applicant's Reponses to Interrogatories) will be added/removed.
Steps marked with (*): These steps are comprised of multiple sub-steps; hover over or click on them to open up the breakdown of sub-steps. Click away from the breakdown to close.
Type of Application
The following details the criteria for assessing which performance standard will apply to certain application types. These criteria are intended as a guide. The actual performance standard that will apply will depend on the exact nature of the application and its content, including any requests that may not be reflected below.
RatesAccounting Order (or other stand-alone request): This performance standard applies to applications associated with Accounting Orders, however, other smaller/less-complex stand-alone requests can be assigned this performance standard as necessary.
Complex Incentive Rate-setting Mechanism (or other stand-alone request): This performance standard is intended for IRM applications that require a hearing. However, other stand-alone requests (e.g., Z-Factor and ICM) can be assigned this performance standard as necessary.
Cost Based <$500 Million Annual Revenue Requirement: Applications that are likely to be a cost of service.
Cost Based >$500 Million Annual Revenue Requirement: Applications that are likely to be a Custom IR and filed by applicants such as Ontario Power Generation Inc., Hydro One Networks Inc., Enbridge Gas Inc., Toronto Hydro-Electric Systems Limited, and Alectra Utilities Corporation.
Complex Electricity & Natural Gas
Below are the criteria that will inform whether the Complex performance standard will apply to a Leave to Construct (LTC) application. Section references in the table are to sections of the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998.
| Electricity LTC Applications | Natural Gas LTC Applications |
|---|---|
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Short-form Electricity & Natural Gas
Below are the criteria that will inform whether the Short-form performance standard will apply to a Leave to Construct (LTC) application. Section references in the table are to sections of the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998.
| Electricity LTC Applications | Natural Gas LTC Applications |
|---|---|
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Error (no discovery): Motions that only require argument from parties to be filed (i.e., no interrogatories or discovery of new evidence/materials is required)
New Evidence/Facts or Change in Circumstance: Motions that require discovery (i.e., interrogatories and interrogatory response on new evidence/materials filed)
NOTES
This dynamic tool was prepared for the purpose of illustrating to applicants, parties to proceedings and the public the possible duration of those proceedings and the potential impacts of changing the durations of various elements of the proceeding, steps to the proceeding, and/or removing steps from the proceeding. The timelines shown by the tool do not represent guarantees as to the duration of a particular proceeding. More particularly, the OEB does not guarantee, and makes no representations or warranties (express, implied, statutory or otherwise) as to the duration of a particular proceeding, the date of issuance of a decision, or that the timeline for a proceeding will not change as the proceeding moves forward. The duration of the proceeding will be affected by factors such as (but not limited to) the completeness of the application, the complexity of the proceeding, and the actions of parties during the course of the proceeding, including motions and other procedural steps.
Generally, the OEB receives Incentive Rate-setting Mechanism (IRM) filings from electricity distributors in tranches, depending on their rate year (January 1 or May 1) and the complexity of their applications. Every year the OEB sets the filing dates for each tranche based partly on a survey conducted with electricity distributors to determine the nature of the applications that distributors plan to file. The majority of IRM applications are mechanistic and therefore the OEB processes the applications without a hearing. The schedule above is intended for those complex IRM applications that require a hearing.
If you encounter any problems while using this tool, please contact ITHelp@oeb.ca.