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Transmission Rates

New default rate schedule

The B.C. Utilities Commission (BCUC) approved a new default rate schedule 1830 for transmission service customers, effective April 1, 2024. Most transmission accounts now receive service under rate schedule 1830 of the Electric Tariff.

Certain eligible customers have chosen to stay on rate schedule 1823 (stepped rate) until the end of the fiscal 2026 billing year and will transfer to rate schedule 1830 in fiscal 2027.

For details about all tariff updates related to transmission service, refer to the summary below.

Summary of Transmission Service tariff changes as of April 1, 2024 (fiscal 2025):

 

Rate schedule (RS) Key highlights
RS 1823: Stepped Rate
  • Rate closed to new customers effective April 1, 2024. Customers that elected to stay on RS 1823 until the end of the fiscal 2026 billing year will be subject to existing Customer Baseline Load (CBL) determination rules.
  • Customers that did not elect to remain on RS 1823 were transitioned to rate schedule 1830 at the start of their first billing period on or after April 1, 2024.
  • Rate is closed to all customers effective the end of the fiscal 2026 billing year, when any remaining customers will be transitioned to RS 1830.
RS 1825: Time-of-Use Rate
  • Rate cancelled effective April 1, 2024.
RS 1827: Exempt Customers Rate
  • Rate cancelled effective April 1, 2024.
  • Customers previously served on RS 1827 were transitioned to rate schedule 1830 as of April 1, 2024.
RS 1830: Flat Rate
  • New default Transmission Service rate schedule effective April 1, 2024.
  • Rate schedule 1830 is a flat rate structure with a lower energy charge and higher demand charge when compared to rate schedule 1823.
  • In fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2026, rate schedule 1830 includes three energy charges (A, B and C) that will transition to one energy charge starting in fiscal 2027 (April 1, 2026).
  • Refer to rate schedule details in the table below.
RS 1852: Modified Demand Rate
  • Rate cancelled effective April 1, 2024.
RS 1880: Standby and Maintenance Supply Rate
  • Energy charge amended to match RS 1830 energy charge.
RS 1891: Shore Power Service Rate
  • Energy charge amended to match RS 1830 energy charge.
RS 1892: Freshet Energy Rate
  • Eligibility amended so RS 1830 accounts can participate in RS 1892.
  • Existing baselines will continue to apply for customers that have previously participated in the freshet rate otherwise baselines will need to be determined.
RS 1893: Incremental Energy Rate (Pilot)
  • Rate ended effective March 31, 2024.
RS 1894: Clean BC Industrial Electrification Clean Industry & Innovation Rate
 
RS 1895: Clean BC Industrial Electrification Fuel Switching Rate
  • Eligibility amended so RS 1830 accounts can participate in RS 1895.
  • RS 1830 energy and demand charges set as the basis for charges under RS 1894.
  • RS 1830 added to RS 1823 and RS 1828 as basis for energy and demand charges under RS 1895.

 

General rates changes, riders and credits
F25 general rate increase

The B.C. Utilities Commission approved a general rate increase of 6.42% across all rate classes effective April 1, 2024.
Deferral Account Rate Rider and Trade Income Rate Rider

The B.C. Utilities Commission approved BC Hydro's application for a Deferral Account Rate Rider and Trade Income Rate Rider for the period starting April 1, 2024 (fiscal 2025).

  • F25 Deferral Account Rate Rider: -2.5%
  • F25 Trade Income Rate Rider: -2.3%
Electricity Affordability Bill Credit

On February 22, 2024 the Government of B.C. announced the Electricity Affordability Bill Credit of 4.6% for eligible BC Hydro customers.

  • The Electricity Affordability Credit is a bill credit in fiscal 2025 to help reduce electricity costs for British Columbians.
  • The credit is available to all residential, commercial and industrial electricity customers.
  • Commercial businesses and industrial customers will see savings of 4.6% based on the total charges billed on the customer's account for fiscal 2024.
  • The affordability credit will vary depending on each customers' fiscal 2024 consumption.
  • The credit will be applied to customer bills throughout the fiscal 2025 year, and will start to appear on BC Hydro customer bills as of April 1, 2024.

Eligible transmission service rates:

  • Stepped Rate (rate schedule 1823)
  • Time-of-Use Rate (rate schedule 1825)
  • Exempt Customer Rate (rate schedule 1827)
  • Biomass Energy Program Rate (rate schedule 1828)
  • Flat Rate (rate schedule 1830)
  • Modified Demand Rate (rate schedule 1852)
  • Shore Power Rate (rate schedule 1891)
  • Clean B.C. Industrial Electrification Rate – Clean Industry & Innovation (rate schedule 1894)
  • Clean B.C. Industrial Electrification Rate – Fuel Switching (rate schedule 1895)
  • FortisBC Inc. Rate (rate schedule 3808)

 
For more details about the bill credit, visit bchydro.com/billcredit.

 

About transmission rates

Customers with transmission accounts use large amounts of energy and invest in electrical infrastructure that allows them to receive service at high voltage (60kV or higher).

The Electric Tariff contains the approved terms and conditions of distribution voltage service provided by BC Hydro as well as the approved rates for service at distribution voltage and transmission voltage.

Rate schedule 1830

Minimum Charge

$11.303 per kVA of billing demand per billing period.

Demand Charge

Demand is measured by kilovolt amperes (kVA) over 30-minute intervals. The highest average 30-minute kVA in a billing period is used to calculate the demand charge on transmission bills.

$11.303 per kVA of billing demand.

Energy Charge 1830A

For customers with a high share of Tier 1 energy use under rate schedule 1823 during the fiscal 2020 or fiscal 2022 billing year.

4.942 cents per kWh applied to all kWh.

Energy Charge 1830B

For customers with a moderate share of Tier 1 energy use under rate schedule 1823 during the fiscal 2020 or fiscal 2022 billing year.

5.092 cents per kWh.

Energy Charge 1830C

For customers with a low share of Tier 1 energy use under rate schedule 1823 during the fiscal 2020 or fiscal 2022 billing year; for customers previously taking service under Energy Charge 1823A of rate schedule 1823 and rate schedule 1827; and for new customers.

 5.234 cents per kWh.

 

Rate schedule 1823

Transmission customers with ongoing customer-funded demand-side management (DSM) projects may elect to stay on rate schedule 1823 until the end of the fiscal 2026 billing year.

Minimum Charge

$9.699 per kVA of billing demand per billing period.

Demand Charge

Demand is measured by kilovolt amperes (kVA) over 30-minute intervals. The highest average 30-minute kVA in a billing period is used to calculate the demand charge on transmission bills.

$9.699 per kVA of billing demand.

Energy Charge 1823A

For customers who don't have a customer baseline load (CBL) by order of the BCUC.

5.685 cents per kWh applied to all kWh.

This rate will apply until the customer has been supplied with electricity under this rate schedule for 12 billing periods or another period approved by BCUC, after which the customer will be supplied with electricity at the rate specified in charge B below.

Energy Charge 1823B

For customers with a CBL.

5.085 cents per kWh applied to all kWh up to and including 90% of the CBL in each billing year.

11.330 cents per kWh applied to all kWh above 90% of the CBL in each billing year.

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.