Transmission Planning

Planning ahead helps us ensure we get power to those who need it

Timely investment in BC Hydro's electrical transmission system is essential to maintaining B.C.'s economic growth and quality of life. Our transmission planning supports open and non-discriminatory access to the transmission system, as per Attachment K [PDF, 1.5 MB] of BC Hydro's Open Access Transmission Tariff.

BC Hydro's transmission planning process includes the following activities:

Long term integrated resource planning

BC Hydro's 20-year Integrated Resource Plan maps out how we will meet future demand for electricity through a combination of energy conservation and the development of generation resources. It also includes an assessment of transmission requirements for 30 years.

Transmission capital planning

Projects that meet BC Hydro's short- and long-term needs are defined as part of the transmission capital planning process, and business cases are made for capital funding investments. If you want to participate in transmission capital planning, see details on transmission capital planning.

Transmission Capital Planning Business Practices [PDF, 525 KB] details the rules, standards and practices used by us to implement planning.

Inter-regional planning

BC Hydro works with other transmission owners or providers who have an interest in transmission development in B.C., including:

Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC)

BC Hydro is a member of this non-profit corporation that helps assure a reliable bulk electric system in the geographic area running from B.C. and Alberta through the U.S. to Mexico, and known as the Western Interconnection.

British Columbia Coordinated Planning Group (BCCPG)

BC Hydro is also a member of this group, which makes reliability of the electrical system a priority in transmission planning activities it helps coordinate.

Interconnection Planning

For new interconnections to our transmission system please visit our Industrial Connections page, or our Choose BC Hydro microsite.

For generators visit our Transmission Generator Interconnections page.