Standards of Conduct: Non-Public BCTC Information
The BC Transmission Corporation (BCTC) is a Crown Corporation, legally separate from BC Hydro, which is responsible for operating the BC Hydro transmission system. BCTC provides open and non-discriminatory access to the transmission system for all third parties. It operates in a competitive environment, and is subject to laws which ensure free and fair competition.
Some information about BCTC's activities could, if available to a third party, give that third party an unfair advantage in the electricity market. Sometimes, this information has to be shared with employees of BC Hydro. BC Hydro employees must keep this information confidential, and a Standards of Conduct (SOC) [PDF, 184 Kb] has been established to ensure that this legal requirement is understood and followed.
The SOC embodies a "no-conduit" prohibition, which prohibits BC Hydro employees from disclosing sensitive information about BCTC's activities to persons who should not receive it, including other employees of BC Hydro, or of its marketing affiliates (Powerex).
For further details of the "no-conduit" prohibition, refer to Clauses 3.1 and 3.2 of the Standards of Conduct [PDF, 184 Kb].
For more information on the Standards of Conduct Compliance Program, please see the links on the right.
Standards of Conduct Application
BC Hydro submitted an application to the BCUC on May 16, 2008 for an exception to the non-disclosure rules of BC Hydro's Standards of Conduct so that BC Hydro personnel may have access to the British Columbia Transmission Corporation's (BCTC) non-public transmission related information for integrated system planning and resource acquisition purposes.
- Application: letter, Appendix, A, B & C [PDF, 779 Kb]
The BCUC submitted a Letter of Expectations on May 29, 2008.
- BCUC Letter of expectations [PDF, 51 Kb]
The IPPBC submitted comments on the Application on June 10, 2008
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IPPBC Comments on Application [PDF, 46 Kb]
The BCUC Decision and Order submitted on June 23, 2008
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BCUC Decision and Order [PDF, 343 Kb]
As the owner of the transmission assets, BC Hydro submitted an application to the BCUC on September 22, 2004 so that it can continue to be in compliance with the standards of conduct (SOC) applicable to maintaining non-discriminatory access to the transmission system that were approved by its regulator, the BC Utilities Commission in the late 1990s.
September 22, 2004 filing to the BCUC:
- Application: letter, overview, Tabs A, B & C [PDF, 2.1 Mb]
The purpose of the application is to ensure that there continues to be proper access to the use of information between BC Hydro and BCTC. These formal standards of conduct ensure continued non-discriminatory access to transmission services, something that is a key part of the Energy Plan.
Further to the September 22, 2004 filing, BC Hydro submitted an application to the BCUC on November 19, 2004 to detail the implementation of the Standards of Conduct (SOC):
- Application: letter and index [PDF, 108 Kb]
- Application: Tab D [PDF, 464 Kb]
- Application: Tab E [PDF, 1.2 Mb]
On January 27, 2005 the BCUC approved BC Hydro's Standards of Conduct application as submitted.
- BCUC order G-13-05 [PDF, 102 Kb]
