Percentage of Total Sales

	97/98	98/99	99/00	00/01	01/02	02/03	03/04	04/05
Lower Mainland	48.5	46.7	47.0	46.6	47.6	47.5	47.5	47.1
Northern Region	20.2	20.1	20.0	19.4	18.7	18.5	18.7	19.2
Southern Interior	11.8	11.6	10.9	12.3	12.6	12.5	12.5	12.3
Vancouver Island	19.5	21.6	22.1	21.7	21.1	21.5	21.3	21.4
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0

Billed sales are not weather adjusted and include sales to other utilities. BC Hydro's total billed sales increased by about 1.6 per cent between 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 and since 1997/1998 total billed sales have increased by about 17 per cent. The increase in sales this year over last fiscal reflects a recovery in B.C.'s economy and strong growth in sales to BC Hydro's industrial customers.

The Lower Mainland has the largest share of total billed sales, as most of BC Hydro's customers reside in the Lower Mainland. Changes in billed sales in the Northern and Southern regions are influenced by changes in B.C.'s economy and changes in commodity exports prices. Of the four major regions, the largest increase in billed sales between 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 occurred in the Northern Region. As a result, the share of total sales in the Northern Region increased compared to its share last fiscal year. This reflects stronger growth in sales to the metal mining and wood sector as prices for these commodities were relatively strong in 2004/2005. Sales to Vancouver Island increased by 1.8 per cent over the previous fiscal year as a result of an increase in sales to the pulp and paper sector. Sales to the other regions grew modestly and their share of the total billed sales declined slightly compared to last fiscal.