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General Service Business Rates

How we calculate the rate you're charged

For business customers, the rate that you're charged for electricity will depend on your annual peak demand and total annual energy usage.

Small General Service Rate

The Small General Service rate is for business customers with an annual peak demand less than 35 kW. They receive service under rate schedules 1300, 1301, 1310, or 1311 of the Electric Tariff. Knowing how to read your Small General Service bill is a good way to manage your electricity usage.

Business customers in the District of Bella Bella (Rate Zone 1B) with an annual peak demand less than 35 kW also receive service under this rate.

Basic Charge

A small, daily amount that partially recovers fixed customer-related costs, including customer service channels, metering, billing, payment processing, collections, and distribution system costs that are customer-related (electrical lines and transformers).

 39.31 cents per day.

Energy Charge

 13.52 cents per kWh.

Minimum Charge

A charge that covers the cost of maintaining our equipment year round for customers with high electricity usage in the winter but low electricity usage in the summer.

39.31 cents per day.

Equal to the Basic Charge.

Discounts

1.5% on entire bill if electricity is metered at primary potential.

$0.25 per kW if customer supplies transformation from a primary to a secondary potential.

If eligible for both, the 1.5% discount is applied first.


Medium General Service Rate

The Medium General Service rate is for business customers with an annual peak demand between 35 and 150 kW, and that use less than 550,000 kWh of electricity per year. They receive service under rate schedules 1500, 1501, 1510, or 1511 of the Electric Tariff. Knowing how to read your Medium General Service Rate bill is a good way to manage your electricity usage.

Basic Charge

A small, daily amount that partially recovers fixed customer-related costs, including customer service channels, metering, billing, payment processing, collections, and distribution system costs that are customer-related (electrical lines and transformers).

 28.82 cents per day.

Demand Charge

Demand is the rate at which electricity is used and is typically measured in kilowatts (kW). Peak demand is the highest rate of electricity use during a period of time. Our smart meters measure demand using 15-minute intervals with three consecutive five-minute sub-intervals. The highest 15-minute demand average recorded in each billing period is used to calculate the demand charge on your bill.

 $5.83 per kW.

Energy Charge

 10.44 cents per kWh.

Minimum Charge

A charge that covers the cost of maintaining our equipment year round for customers with high electricity usage in the winter but low electricity usage in the summer.

Equal to 50% of the highest Demand Charge during the previous November 1 to March 31 period. The Basic Charge, Energy Charge, and Demand Charge are replaced by the Minimum Charge if their sum is less than this amount.

Power Factor Surcharge

A measure of efficiency, and the ratio of usable power (kW) to reactive power (kVar) in a circuit. It varies between 0 and 1, and is normally given as a percentage (1 to 100%). We apply a power factor surcharge to business customers whose power factor drops below 90%.

Learn more about power factor. 

 Applicable if power factor is below 90%.

Discounts

1.5% on entire bill if electricity is metered at primary potential.

$0.25 per kW if customer supplies transformation from a primary to a secondary potential.

If eligible for both, the 1.5% discount is applied first.


Large General Service Rate

The Large General Service rate is for business customers with an annual peak demand of at least 150 kW, or that use more than 550,000 kWh of electricity per year. They receive service under rate schedules 1600, 1601, 1610, or 1611 of the Electric Tariff. Knowing how to read your Large General Service Rate bill is a good way to manage your electricity usage.

Basic Charge

A small, daily amount that partially recovers fixed customer-related costs, including customer service channels, metering, billing, payment processing, collections, and distribution system costs that are customer-related (electrical lines and transformers).

 28.82 cents per day.

Demand Charge

Demand is the rate at which electricity is used and is typically measured in kilowatts (kW). Peak demand is the highest rate of electricity use during a period of time. Our smart meters measure demand using 15-minute intervals with three consecutive five-minute sub-intervals. The highest 15-minute demand average recorded in each billing period is used to calculate the demand charge on your bill.

 $13.30 per kW.

Energy Charge

 6.53 cents per kWh.

Minimum Charge

A charge that covers the cost of maintaining our equipment year round for customers with high electricity usage in the winter but low electricity usage in the summer.

Equal to 50% of the highest Demand Charge during the previous November 1 to March 31 period. The Basic Charge, Energy Charge, and Demand Charge are replaced by the Minimum Charge if their sum is less than this amount.

Power Factor Surcharge

A measure of efficiency, and the ratio of usable power (kW) to reactive power (kVar) in a circuit. It varies between 0 and 1, and is normally given as a percentage (1 to 100%). We apply a power factor surcharge to business customers whose power factor drops below 90%.

Learn more about power factor. 

 Applicable if power factor is below 90%.

Discounts

1.5% on entire bill if electricity is metered at primary potential.

$0.25 per kW if customer supplies transformation from a primary to a secondary potential.

If eligible for both, the 1.5% discount is applied first.


Declaration of eligibility for General Service (business) rate

The declaration indicates that the service address and meter number meets the BC Hydro Electric Tariff ('Tariff') definition for what qualifies for General Service where energy is used:

  1. In common areas of multiple occupancy buildings.
  2. In a dwelling where a part is used to carry on a business if the whole dwelling is supplied through one meter, and the hourly energy consumption is at least 35 kWh or the peak demand is at least 35 kW.
  3. On a farm:
    1. for lodging that is not a dwelling,
    2. for processing of farm products produced elsewhere than on this farm,
    3. to sell farm or other products to the general public, or
    4. for any commercial operation not ordinarily conducted upon a farm.
  4. In a business, commercial, institutional or industrial use, including use in:
    1. Hotels, Motels
    2. Schools
    3. Churches
    4. Hospitals
    5. Nursing homes
    6. Boarding houses, Rooming houses
    7. Recreational establishments, Amusement parks, Halls, Resorts
    8. Mobile home parks, RV Park and similar establishments
    9. Marinas and Yacht clubs.

If you meet these eligibility requirements and wish to be placed on the General Service rate, please submit your declaration [PDF, 25 KB] and required documents.

Exempt General Service Rate for Rate Zone 1B

The Exempt General Service Rate is available for business customers in the District of Bella Bella with an annual peak demand of at least 35 kW. They receive service under rate schedules 1200, 1201, 1210, or 1211 of the Electric Tariff.

Business customers in the District of Bella Bella with an annual peak demand less than 35 kW receive service under the Small General Service rate shown above.

Basic Charge

A small, daily amount that partially recovers fixed customer-related costs, including customer service channels, metering, billing, payment processing, collections, and distribution system costs that are customer-related (electrical lines and transformers).

 28.82 cents per day.

Demand Charge

Demand is the rate at which electricity is used and is typically measured in kilowatts (kW). Peak demand is the highest rate of electricity use during a period of time. Our smart meters measure demand using 15-minute intervals with three consecutive five-minute sub-intervals. The highest 15-minute demand average recorded in each billing period is used to calculate the demand charge on your bill.

$0 per kW for first 35 kW.

$7.02 per kW for next 115 kW.

$13.47 for remaining kW.

 

Energy Charge

13.72 cents per kWh for the first 14,800 kWh.

6.59 cents per kWh for remaining kWh.

Minimum Charge

A charge that covers the cost of maintaining our equipment year round for customers with high electricity usage in the winter but low electricity usage in the summer.

Equal to 50% of the highest Demand Charge during the previous November 1 to March 31 period. The Basic Charge, Energy Charge, and Demand Charge are replaced by the Minimum Charge if their sum is less than this amount.

Power Factor Surcharge

A measure of efficiency, and the ratio of usable power (kW) to reactive power (kVar) in a circuit. It varies between 0 and 1, and is normally given as a percentage (1 to 100%). We apply a power factor surcharge to business customers whose power factor drops below 90%.

Learn more about power factor. 

 Applicable if power factor is below 90%.

Discounts

1.5% on entire bill if electricity is metered at primary potential.

$0.25 per kW if customer supplies transformation from a primary to a secondary potential.

If eligible for both, the 1.5% discount is applied first.


Please note that in the event of differences between the details noted here and the official Electric Tariff issued by BC Hydro, the official Electric Tariff will prevail.