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Distribution Technical Standards and Guides

Latest updates to the Distribution Technical Standards

General Publications

Title Issue date Effective date
Underground transformation options for space constrained urban developments [PDF, 323 KB] June 6, 2022 June 6, 2022

 

Primary Guide: Requirements for customer-owned primary services supplied at 4kV to 35 kV

Title Issue date Effective date
Primary Guide 2021 (Revision 3.1) [PDF, 9.3 MB] April 2021 September 30, 2021
Information Bulletin – Release of Primary Guide 2021 (Revision 3.1) [PDF, 199 KB] April 2021 April 2021
Customer Guide – Primary Service Connections Process [PDF, 73 KB] July 2018 July 2018

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Distribution Standards

ES43 Overhead Electrical - Sections B and C - Clearances and Joint and Secondary Use

Title Issue date Effective date
ES43 B - Clearances [PDF, 2.7 MB] November 7, 2023 November 7, 2023
ES43 C - Joint and Secondary Use [PDF, 3.6 MB] July 24, 2023 July 24, 2023

 

ES43 Overhead Electrical – Section L – Street lighting

Title Issue date Effective date
ES43 L – Street Lighting [PDF, 1.3 MB] September 2020 November 2020

 

ES43 Overhead Electrical - Section M - Terminal Poles

Title Issue date Effective date
ES43 M1-10 – Terminal Poles Pilaster Location [PDF, 1.2 MB] July 6, 2020 July 6, 2020

 

ES43 Overhead Electrical – Section N – Secondaries and services

Title Issue date Effective date
ES43 N0 – Table of Contents [PDF, 807 KB] November 2012 November 2012
ES43 N1 – General [PDF, 1.7 MB] November 2012 November 2012
ES43 N2 – Service Connections [PDF, 2.4 MB] November 2012 November 2012

 

ES43 Overhead Electrical – Section R

Title Issue date Effective date
ES43 R2-01 – Bonding and Grounding Ground Electrode Installations Ground Rods at Wood Poles and Multiple Ground Rods [PDF, 1.2 MB] March 2018 March 2018

 

ES53 Underground Electrical – Section S – Services

Title Issue date Effective date
ES53 S0 – Table of Contents [PDF, 627 KB] June 30, 2023 June 30, 2023
ES53 S1 – Secondary Services Single Phase [PDF, 899 KB] November 17, 2023 November 17, 2023
ES53 S2 – Secondary Services Three Phase [PDF, 1.7 MB] March 2011 March 2011
ES53 S3 – Primary Services [PDF, 1.3 MB] November 2014
November 2014
ES53 S4 – Ornamental street lighting services up to 50A [PDF, 444 KB] October 2003 October 2003
Information Bulletin 2023-029 – Limited Release of Single-Phase Secondary 320 A 120/240 V Services with Self-Contained Metering [PDF, 1.5 MB] November 17, 2023 November 17, 2023
Information Bulletin 2023-018 – Revised ES53 S1-01 for 120/240 V Single-Phase Secondary Services up to 600 A [PDF, 2.3 MB] June 30, 2023 June 30, 2023
Information Bulletin – Equipment and Connection Changes for Secondary Underground Customer Services, 120/240 V up to 600 A, Single-Phase [PDF, 1.8 MB] July 2017 July 2017

 

ES54 Underground Civil Standards

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Title Issue date Effective date

ES54 Underground Civil Standards [PDF, 29.3 MB]

February 5, 2024 February 5, 2024

 

ES54 Underground Civil – Section S – Services

Title Issue date Effective date
ES54 S0-01 – Services - Table of Contents [PDF, 100 KB] November 17, 2023 November 17, 2023
ES54 S0-02 – Services - General Notes [PDF, 729 KB] June 30, 2023 July 31, 2023
ES54 S0-03 - Services - General Notes - Medium-Voltage (Primary) Services [PDF, 1.7 MB] February 2022 June 2023
ES54 S0-04 - Services - General Notes - Secondary Services [PDF, 810 KB] June 30, 2023 July 31, 2023
ES54 S0-05 - Services - General Notes - Service Ducts and Trenches [PDF, 936 KB] June 30, 2023 July 31, 2023
ES54 S1-01 - Secondary Single-Phase Services - 200 A Single and 400 A Multiple Self-Contained Meter Installation [PDF, 3.0 MB] November 2022 June 2023
ES54 S1-02 - Secondary Single-Phase Services 320 A Self-Contained Meter Installation [PDF, 1.8 MB] November 17, 2023 November 17, 2023
ES54 S1-03 - Secondary Single-Phase Services - 400 A and 600 A CT-Based Meter Installation [PDF, 1.8 MB] June 30, 2023 July 31, 2023
ES54 S1-04 - Secondary Single-Phase Services - 200 A to 600 A Pad-Mounted Kiosk and Pedestal, Self-Contained and CT-Based Meter Installation [PDF, 1.5 MB] June 30, 2023 July 31, 2023
ES54 S2-01 – Secondary Three-Phase Services 120-208 V and 347-600 V up to 1600 A Private Property Installation [PDF, 8.2 MB] February 5, 2024 June 30, 2024
ES54 S2-02 – Secondary Three Phase Dip Services up to 800A [PDF, 1.2 MB] August 2017 August 2017
ES54 S3-01 - Primary Services - Dead-Front Outdoor Type Kiosk, Private Property Installation [PDF, 1.4 MB] February 2022 June 2023
ES54 S3-02 - Primary Services - Live-Front Outdoor Type Kiosk, Private Property Installation [PDF, 1.4 MB] February 2022 June 2023
ES54 S3-03 - Primary Services - Indoor Type Switchgear, Private Property Installation [PDF, 1.5 MB] February 2022 June 2023
ES54 S3-04 – Primary Services - Service Duct to Rear Yard [PDF, 1.2 MB] March 2016 March 2016
ES54 S4-01 – Streetlighting Services to 50A [PDF, 1.2 MB] March 2016 March 2016

 

ES54 Information Bulletins

Title Issue date Effective date
Information Bulletin 2023-049 – Revised ES54 S2-01 Secondary Three-Phase Services 120/208 V and 347/600 V up to 1600 A Private Property Installation [PDF, 1.9 MB] February 5, 2024 February 5, 2024
Information Bulletin 2023-043 – New Standard ES54 P1-03 Vault / Box Safety Aluminum Lid Slip Resistance [PDF, 1.3 MB] November 17, 2023 November 17, 2023
Information Bulletin 2023-029 – Limited Release of Single-Phase Secondary 320 A 120/240 V Services with Self-Contained Metering [PDF, 1.5 MB] November 17, 2023 November 17, 2023
Information Bulletin 2022-010 R1 – Revised ES54 S0-02 Services General Notes and Release of ES54 S0-05 Service Ducts and Trenches [PDF, 3.2 MB] June 30, 2023 June 30, 2023
Information Bulletin 2022-023 R1 – Release of ES54 S0-04 and S1 Standards for 120/240 V Single-Phase Secondary Services up to 600 A [PDF, 6.4 MB] June 30, 2023 June 30, 2023
Information Bulletin 2023-019 – Release of ES54 B3-06 Circular Concrete Service Box [PDF, 1.3 MB] June 16, 2023 June 16, 2023
Information Bulletin - Revised ES54 C1-05 Through-Type Double Access Precast Vaults [PDF, 1.4 MB] April 30, 2023 April 30, 2023
Information Bulletin - Revised Section H Duct and Section W Construction Specification Standards [PDF, 1.3 MB] April 24, 2023 May 1, 2023
Information Bulletin - Release of New and Revised ES54 Section S Medium-Voltage (Primary) Services Standards [PDF, 2.3 MB] November 25, 2022 June 30, 2023
Information Bulletin - Revised ES54 S0-02 Services General Notes and Release of ES54 S0-05 Service Ducts and Trenches [PDF, 205 KB] November 25, 2022 June 30, 2023
Information Bulletin - Release of ES54 S0-04 and S1 Standards for 120/240 V Single-Phase Secondary Services up to 600 A [PDF, 292 KB] November 25, 2022 June 30, 2023
Information Bulletin – Revised ES54 F Transformer Pads and Vaults, and ES54 H Ducts [PDF, 225 KB] September 7, 2022 September 7, 2022
Information Bulletin – Revised ES54 U2-02 Bollards [PDF, 125 KB] March 7, 2022 March 7, 2022
Information Bulletin – Revisions to ES54 S2-01 Standards and Customer Secondary Service Equipment [PDF, 3.8 MB] November 2018 November 2018
Information Bulletin – Revision to ES54 Standards, Sections B, C, F, H, U and Z [PDF, 1.1 MB] October 2018 October 2018
Information Bulletin – Pad-mounted transformer installation on private property (R3) [PDF, 1.0 MB] March 2018 March 2018
Information Bulletin – ES54 B3-03 and B3-04 for sidewalk duty lightweight service boxes [PDF, 559 KB] November 2017 November 2017
Information Bulletin – Ground rod connector stock no longer held as a separate item at AE Concrete Ltd. plant storage [PDF, 1.6 MB] October 2017 October 2017
Information Bulletin – Revisions to grounding standards and installation of precast grounded bollards [PDF, 2.1 MB] September 2017 September 2017
Information Bulletin – Revisions to customer-owned primary services, indoor and outdoor type, underground supply [PDF, 1.5 MB] August 2017 August 2017
Information Bulletin – BC Hydro-owned switchgear inside customer-owned buildings [PDF, 1.8 MB] August 2017 August 2017
Information Bulletin – Banned collar-type transfer switch for 120/240 V meter socket services – reaffirmed [PDF, 2.9 MB] February 2017 February 2017
Information Bulletin – Transfer switches for secondary customer services emergency standby generators – reaffirmed [PDF, 1.9 MB] June 2016 June 2016
Information Bulletin – 4-way and T-type pull and splice vaults, R3 [PDF, 2.2 MB] January 2016 January 2016

 

ES55 Design Standards – Section E – Overhead Line Design – Pole Foundation

Title Issue date Effective date
ES55 E3-04 – Guide for Civil Excavation near Distribution Poles [PDF, 1.7 MB] February 2018 February 2018
Information Bulletin – Guide for Civil Excavation near Distribution Poles [PDF, 531 KB] March 2018 March 2018

 

ES55 Design Standards - Section Q - Power Quality Standards - General

Title Issue date Effective date
ES55 Q1-02 – Electromagnetic Compatibility [PDF, 1.7 MB] January 2015 January 2015
ES55 Q1-04 – Apparent Power [PDF, 2.1 MB] February 2017 February 2017

 

ES55 Design Standards – Section Q - Low-Voltage Customer Emission Limits: Requirements for customer emissions when supplied at 120 V to 600 V

Title Issue date Effective date
ES55 Q3-04 – Rapid Voltage Changes (RVCs) [PDF, 2.4 MB] December 2016 December 2016
ES55 Q3-05 – Voltage Flicker [PDF, 2.4 MB] December 2016 December 2016
ES55 Q3-07 – Voltage Unbalance [PDF, 2.4 MB] December 2016 December 2016

 

ES55 Design Standards - Section Q - Medium-Voltage Customer Emission Limits: Requirements for customer emissions when supplied at 4 kV to 35 kV

Title Issue date Effective date
ES55 Q4-04 – Rapid Voltage Changes (RVCs) [PDF, 2.4 MB] December 2016 December 2016
ES55 Q4-05 – Voltage Flicker [PDF, 2.4 MB] December 2016 December 2016
ES55 Q4-07 – Voltage Unbalance [PDF, 2.4 MB] December 2016 December 2016
ES55 Q4-09 – Current Harmonics [PDF, 2.4 MB] December 2016 December 2016

 

Class of Work Specifications

Title Issue date Effective date
Construction of Underground Electrical Distribution Structures by a BC Hydro Contractor (No. 1322 R11) [PDF, 1.1 MB] July 13, 2016 July 13, 2016
Construction of Underground Electrical Distribution Structures by a Customer (No. 1323 R10) [PDF, 1.1 MB] July 13, 2016 July 13, 2016
Information Bulletin – Backfill, R1 [PDF, 1.4 MB] February 2015 February 2015

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Revenue Metering Requirements

Title Issue date Effective date
Secondary Voltage Revenue Metering – 750 V and less [PDF, 2.9 MB] February 2024 February 2024
Requirements for Primary Service Revenue Metering - 4kV to 35kV [PDF, 2.0 MB] July 20, 2022 July 20, 2022
Complex Revenue Metering [PDF, 1.6 MB] March 2014 March 2014

Advisory notice: Multiple occupancy metering requirements and resale of electricity

The purpose of the advisory notice [PDF, 94 KB] is to draw the attention of developers and owners of multiple occupancy buildings, and their electrical consultants and contractors to the requirements of BC Hydro's Electric Tariff [PDF, 7.8 MB] in relation to the electricity supply and metering configurations, including for electrical vehicle charging stations, applicable to these buildings.

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Distribution Generator Interconnections Technical Requirements

Title Issue date Effective date
Distribution Generator Interconnection Requirements [PDF, 560 KB] 2010 2010
Distribution Generator Interconnection Requirements Amendment 1 [PDF, 43 KB] October 15, 2015 October 15, 2015
Amendment 2 Requirements for terminals supplying ships capable of running in parallel with BC Hydro (CTT Shore Power) [PDF, 407 KB] October 17, 2017 October 17, 2017
Distribution Power Generator Islanding Guidelines [PDF, 143 KB] June 2006 June 2006
100 kW and Below Distribution Generation Interconnection Requirements [PDF, 599 KB] October 17, 2014 October 17, 2014

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Revenue Metering Bulletins

Title Issue date Effective date
Meter Sockets List [PDF, 145 KB] February 21, 2024 April 1, 2024
Conduit Length Material Bulletin [PDF, 170 KB] February 28, 2022 February 28, 2022
EATON RCPM 200A Combination Meter Socket and Loadcentre [PDF. 154 KB] October 25, 2021 October 25, 2021

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