September 6, 2024
Letter L-25-24
Mr. Chris Sandve
Chief Regulatory Officer
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
16th Floor - 333 Dunsmuir Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 5R3
bchydroregulatorygroup@bchydro.com
Re: British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority – Polychlorinated Biphenyls End-of-Use Deadline L-6-23 Update
Whether the utility has any equipment containing PCBs [Polychlorinated Biphenyls] with a concentration of 50 mg/kg (50 ppm) or more still in-use. If yes, please describe the equipment and the utility’s plans to meet the PCB end-of-use deadline.
On May 2, 2022, BC Hydro wrote in response to the BCUC request for information regarding BC Hydro’s plans to meet the end-of-use deadline for equipment containing PCBs by the December 31, 2025 deadline. BC Hydro confirmed that it had an inventory of 370,000 units of equipment that could contain PCB concentrations of 50 ppm or more in-use and is on target to meet all the relevant deadlines outlined in the Federal Government’s
PCB regulations.
In order to keep itself informed about utility activities, the BCUC requested additional information and further updates on BC Hydro’s plans to meet the end-of-use deadline for equipment containing PCBs to the BCUC by Friday, March 31, 2023, and Monday, April 1, 2024.
On April 29, 2024, BC Hydro provided an update in response to the BCUC request regarding its plans to meet the end-of-use deadline for equipment containing PCBs by the December 31, 2025 deadline. BC Hydro confirms that it is on target to meet the end-of-use deadline and has an inventory of 691 units that contain PCB concentrations of 50 ppm or more in-use as of March 31, 2024. BC Hydro plans to complete verifications for 58 additional units that could potentially contain PCBs.
The BCUC has reviewed BC Hydro’s progress update and requests that BC Hydro provide the following update on
its plans to meet the end-of-use deadline for equipment containing PCBs to the BCUC by Monday, March 31, 2025:
- Update to Table 1 (summary of units of equipment that could contain PCB concentrations of
50 parts per million (ppm) or greater as of March 31, 2025, broken down by equipment type); - Confirmation that BC Hydro has verified its entire inventory for PCB content or when BC Hydro plans
complete the verification of its inventory; and - Confirmation that BC Hydro is on target to meet the PCB end-of-use deadline.
In addition, the BCUC requests that BC Hydro provide the following update by Tuesday, March 31, 2026:
• Confirmation that BC Hydro has verified its entire inventory with PCB content; and
• Confirmation that all units with verified PCB content are phased out.
Sincerely,
Original signed by:
Patrick Wruck
Commission Secretary
NG/jm