Attaching to BC Hydro poles, towers and ducts
Are you a business, land use authority, city, municipality or First Nations community looking to attach your equipment to BC Hydro infrastructure such as poles, towers and underground ducts?
We can assist you with your attachment projects on qualified transmission and distribution structures (poles, towers and ducts).
- Common examples of attachments
- Reports, policies & related documents
- How to start an attachment request
- Available attachments and uses on BC Hydro infrastructure
- What's next
- How long will your attachment request take
- How to reach us
Common examples of attachments
- Communication companies that need to install wireless antennas, fibre or coaxial cable, and power supply boxes
- Municipalities that require fibre connectivity between municipal buildings using our underground duct banks
- First Nations communities that want to deploy internet or telephony services to their constituents
- Any other company that puts their equipment or cables on or in our infrastructure
Reports, policies & related documents
Important policy notification
- Telecommunication (Wifi and Microcell) equipment installed on municipal street facilities [PDF, 61 KB]
Fiscal 2021 Quarterly performance metrics
- Shared Assets – Metrics [PDF, 40 KB]
How to start an attachment request
New customers
If you're a new customer, send us a completed Master Agreement Application Form, which will include the details of your organization and your proposed equipment for attachment, and all supporting documentation.
- Shared Assets Master Agreement Application Form [PDF, 33 KB]
If your proposed equipment meets the required standards and your application is approved, we will issue you a Master Agreement. Once you have that agreement, you can send requests for Specific Permit of Occupation (SPO), which specifically authorizes you to occupy space on BC Hydro structures. If your equipment doesn't meet required standards or our structures are not suitable or available for attachment, we will discuss options and potential solutions.
Existing customers
If you already have an existing Master Agreement with BC Hydro for your approved equipment, then you can send us your requests for Specific Permit of Occupation (SPO). This will include your project specific attachment proposal, all required supporting documentation, and the submission fee (plus applicable taxes).
Available attachments and uses on BC Hydro infrastructure
Distribution overhead wood poles for facilities
This type of attachment are for fibre, coax, power supply and cathodic protection boxes, as well as wireless antenna and/or radio equipment.
- Distribution Wireline – Offering [PDF, 3.1 MB]
- Instructional Guide – How to Submit an SPO Application [PDF, 1.7 MB]
- Distribution Pole Attachment – Application Form [PDF, 119 KB]
- Distribution Pole Attachment – Data Collection Summary Template [XLSX, 113 KB]
- Distribution Pole Attachment – Data Collection Instructions [PDF, 255 KB]
- Distribution Pole Attachment – BC Hydro Standards ES43 B1 2012 [PDF, 3.0 MB]
- Distribution Pole Attachment – BC Hydro Standards ES43 C1 2012 [PDF, 3.0 MB]
- Distribution Pole Attachment – BC Hydro Standards ES43 C2 2012 [PDF, 1.0 MB]
- Distribution Pole Attachment – BC Hydro Standards ES43 R2-01 2018 [PDF, 1.2 MB]
- Digging Near Power Poles [PDF, 224 KB]
- Distribution Pole Attachment – All other BC Hydro Work Methods are available by request through distribution.attachments@bchydro.com.
- Distribution Pole Attachment – As-Built Requirement [PDF, 616 KB]
For maintenance inquiries, please contact distribution.attachments@bchydro.com.
Distribution overhead wood poles for pole top wireless equipment
- Pole Top Wireless – Offering [PDF, 559 KB]
- Pole Top Wireless Attachment – New Request Step 1 - Conceptual Viability Review [PDF, 105 KB]
- Pole Top Wireless Attachment – New Request Step 2 - Technical Identification Review [PDF, 102 KB]
- Pole Top Wireless Attachment – Photo Guidelines and Tagging [PDF, 45 KB]
- Pole Top Wireless Attachment – RF Data Collection Summary [XLSX, 37 KB]
- Pole Top Wireless Attachment – BC Hydro Standards ES43 C3-01 2019 is available by request through PTW.attachments@bchydro.com.
- Digging Near Power Poles [PDF, 224 KB]
- Distribution Pole Tagging [PDF, 87 KB]
- Pole Top Wireless Attachment – All other BC Hydro Work Methods are available by request through PTW.attachments@bchydro.com.
- Pole Top Wireless Attachment – As-Built Requirement [PDF, 44 KB]
For maintenance inquiries, please contact PTW.attachments@bchydro.com.
Distribution fibre in duct installations
- Fibre in Duct Installation – Offering [PDF, 253 KB]
- Instructional Guide – How to Submit a Fibre In Duct SPO Application [PDF, 471 KB]
- Fibre in Duct Installation – New Request Step 1 - Conceptual Viability Review [PDF, 100 KB]
- Fibre in Duct Installation – New Request Step 2 - Technical Identification Review [PDF, 92 KB]
- Fibre in Duct Installation Request – BC Hydro Standards ES53 Section X3-01 is available by request through distribution.attachments@bchydro.com.
- Fibre in Duct Installation – BC Hydro Work Methods are available by request through distribution.attachments@bchydro.com.
- Fibre in Duct Installation – As-Built Requirements [PDF, 1.3 MB]
For maintenance inquiries, please contact distribution.attachments@bchydro.com.
Transmission towers for wireless antenna attachment
- Transmission Cell Site Attachment – Offering [PDF, 1.2 MB]
- Transmission Cell Site Attachment – New Request Step 1 - Conceptual Viability Review [PDF, 107 KB]
- Transmission Cell Site Attachment – New Request Step 2 - Technical Identification Review [PDF, 100 KB]
- Transmission Cell Site Attachment – Modification Request [PDF, 108 KB]
- Transmission Cell Site Attachment – Decommissioning Request [PDF, 118 KB]
- Transmission Cell Site Attachment – BC Hydro Work Methods are available by request through transmission.attachments@bchydro.com.
- Transmission Cell Site Attachment – As-Built Requirements [PDF, 64 KB]
For maintenance inquiries, please contact transmission.attachments@bchydro.com.
Transmission structures for fibre optic cable attachment
- Transmission Fibre Attachment – Offering [PDF, 1.3 MB]
- Transmission Fibre Attachment – New Request Form [PDF, 107 KB]
- Transmission Fibre Attachment – BC Hydro Work Methods are available by request through transmission.attachments@bchydro.com.
- Transmission Fibre Attachment – As-Built Requirements [PDF, 63 KB]
For maintenance requests, please contact transmission.attachments@bchydro.com.
Microwave towers
- Microwave Tower Attachment – Offering [PDF, 2.8 MB]
- Microwave Tower Attachment – New Request Form Step 1 - Conceptual Viability Review [PDF, 102 KB]
- Microwave Tower Attachment – New Request Form Step 2 - Technical Identification Review [PDF, 97 KB]
- Microwave Tower Attachment – Modification Request [PDF, 110 KB]
- Microwave Tower Attachment – Decommissioning Request [PDF, 115 KB]
- Microwave Tower Attachment – As-Built Requirements [PDF, 46 KB]
- Microwave Tower Attachment – BC Hydro Work Methods are available by request through microwave.attachments@bchydro.com.
For maintenance requests, please contact microwave.attachments@bchydro.com.
Fees & payment
Application fees effective January 1, 2020
Effective January 1, 2020, please refer to the following rate card for application fees:
- Application Fee Rate Card [PDF, 45 KB]
Electronic fund transfers (EFT)
We have provided instructions for setting up an EFT account and submitting an EFT Payment:
- How to set up an EFT account [PDF, 139 KB]
- How to submit an EFT payment [PDF, 247 KB]
- EFT payments for non-energy accounts customer registration form [PDF, 494 KB]
- EFT remittance form for non-energy accounts [PDF, 499 KB]
- EFT remittance payment breakdown for non-energy accounts [XLSX, 145 KB]
Payment submissions
Submission fee payments must be sent to the address below. Be sure to use the correct address to make sure your fee is processed quickly.
Shared Assets
BC Hydro
Edmonds B03
6911 Southpoint Drive
Burnaby, B.C. V3N 4X8
What's next
Once we've received your detailed project information and the application fee, BC Hydro will perform a viability assessment to determine if the identified infrastructure can accommodate your proposed attachment.
In some cases, our infrastructure will need to be upgraded or "made ready" for your attachment. All costs associated with the design and installation of this make-ready work and/or the installation of your equipment are the responsibility of the applicant. Our team will contact you by email and let you know the best way to move forward.
If you don't see the type of attachment you're interested in, please email us so that we can help. Be sure to mention whether you want to attach your equipment to BC Hydro's distribution or transmission infrastructure, so your request is handled by the appropriate team.
How long will your attachment request take
Requests are handled on a first-come, first-served basis. Timelines are dependent on the size and complexity of the project and can range from days (for a very simple project) to months (or even longer) for more complex requests.
How to reach us
We can help you with your attachment requests. Please submit your forms by email.
- Email our distribution attachments team.
- Email our transmission attachments team.