Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-185-25

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

OATT Attachment M Transmission Line Ratings

BEFORE:

B. A. Magnan, Panel Chair

E. A. Brown, Commissioner

on July 28, 2025

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On June 27, 2025, pursuant to sections 59 to 61 of the Utilities Commission Act, the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) filed an application (Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) seeking approval to amend its Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT), specifically to incorporate a new Attachment M: Transmission Line Ratings, and to make two housekeeping amendments;

B.      In the Application, BC Hydro seeks approval of amendments to its OATT to reflect Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Order No. 8812 dated December 16, 2021 (FERC 881 Reforms), as well as housekeeping amendments including the following:

                           i.            Adoption and inclusion of FERC’s ambient-adjusted rating mechanism, applying only to overhead transmission line conductors in BC Hydro’s Bulk Electrical System transmission circuits, with a modification to the temperature increment from 5°F to 2.5°C;

                         ii.            Incorporation of wording enabling BC Hydro to share line ratings and methodologies with other transmission providers upon request, with modification from the FERC 881 Reforms to include other utilities interconnected to the system;

                       iii.            Implementation of a database of line ratings and methodologies on BC Hydro’s OASIS site or another password-protected website;

                       iv.            Posting on OASIS or another password-protected website any uses of exceptions or temporary alternate ratings;

                         v.            Amendment of BC Hydro OATT section 1.53 – Definition of 4 Transmission System to specify the applicability of the term “transmission system” to facilities at 60 kilovolts or more; and

                       vi.            Amendment of the document structure to incorporate the new Attachment M into the table of contents; and

C.      The BCUC has commenced review of the Application and considers that the establishment of a hearing to review the Application is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC orders as follows:

1.       A hearing is established for the review of the Application in accordance with the regulatory timetable as set out in Appendix A to this order.

2.       BC Hydro is directed to provide notice of the Application and this order by Wednesday, July 30, 2025, electronically where possible, to the following:

a.       BC Hydro Transmission Customers; and

b.       Other interconnected utilities.

3.       BC Hydro is directed to provide by Friday, August 1, 2025, written confirmation of compliance with Directive 2 to of this Order, including a list of parties notified.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this      28^th      day of July 2025.

BY ORDER

Electronically signed by Bernard Magnan

B. A. Magnan

Commissioner

Attachment

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

OATT Attachment M Transmission Line Ratings