2025 Integrated Resource Plan

We're planning for a bright electricity future for B.C.

Safely delivering reliable, affordable, clean electricity to British Columbians is our priority. Our integrated resource plan prepares us for a range of potential load forecast scenarios. It's a flexible plan that allows us to monitor changing conditions to ensure we can continue to support economic growth and meet the evolving needs of our customers.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2025 Integrated Resource Plan consultation.

On October 31, 2025, BC Hydro filed the 2025 Integrated Resource Plan with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC). On October 27, 2026, the BCUC issued its decision accepting the plan and determining that it was in the public interest. In its decision, the BCUC found that the plan meets the requirements for a resource plan to support flexible, proactive planning to meet customers' long-term electricity needs in the face of significant uncertainty regarding the future demand for electricity. Read the full plan on BCUC.com.

Summary of the 2025 Integrated Resource Plan

The 2025 Integrated Resource Plan outlines our plans for how we'll meet B.C.'s future electricity needs. It includes the resources we'll need, when we'll need them, and how much energy and capacity they'll provide.

Since our last plan update in 2023, global uncertainty and economic shifts, such as new and potential tariffs, have reshaped our planning landscape. In addition, electricity demand is growing. Our updated 2026 Reference Load Forecast projects that demand will increase by 20% by 2030 and 50% by 2050, driven by electrification, economic and industrial growth, and emerging sectors such as AI and data centres.

BC Hydro is committed to supporting a strong economy and a clean energy future while keeping electricity affordable for British Columbians.

Key aspects of the Plan

The 2025 Integrated Resource Plan will meet future energy needs through:

1. Advancing conservation and energy management initiatives, including customer solar

We're advancing our conservation and energy management programs and optional time-varying rates initiatives, extending a foundational part of the last long-term plan.
We're also advancing our multi-year solar and battery storage rebate program, which is expected to provide 800 gigawatt-hours per year (GWh/year) of energy by 2034 – enough to power 80,000 households each year.

2. Acquiring additional renewable energy

In 2024, we initiated an acquisition process, or Call for Power, to gather competitive bids from industry and First Nations communities who are interested in generating clean, renewable, and affordable power to meet our future needs. Through this, we awarded 10 Electricity Purchase Agreements that will provide nearly 5,000 (GWh/year) of clean, renewable electricity to our grid.
We aim to acquire up to 5,000 GWh/year of energy by 2034 from clean or renewable resources through our 2025 Call for Power and additional energy acquisitions or developments, and will prepare to acquire and/or build additional clean or renewable energy resources as required.

3. Upgrading our generating facilities

We are building a sixth generating unit at our Revelstoke Generating Station by its earliest in-service date, which is projected to provide an additional 500 MW.
We are preparing for upgrades to our generating units 1 through 5 at the GM Shrum Generating Station if needed for later in the planning horizon, which is projected to provide another 100 MW.
These upgrades will enhance our ability to provide cost-effective, dependable electricity and combined will add about 5% to our overall hydroelectric power generation.

4. Reinforcing and expanding our transmission system

We are building the North Coast Transmission Line to serve increased load and enable industrial and related development in northwest B.C., thus supporting B.C.'s economy and diversification of trade.
Preparing for the next stage of transmission reinforcement from the Lower Mainland to Vancouver Island, if electricity demand grows to be higher or sooner than expected.
Preparing for the second step of transmission upgrades into the South Coast region after step one was initiated as part of the 2021 Integrated Resource Plan. This second step will only be needed if electricity demand grows to be higher or sooner than expected.

5. Preparing for new firm power sources

We're planning for additional firm power sources that can meet the province’s electricity needs during peak times, such as on cold winter evenings.
To meet our near-term capacity needs, we are continuing operation of the existing Island Generation natural gas facility and the McMahon cogeneration facility.
We are also preparing to deploy utility-scale batteries near our load centres.
In the longer term, we'll explore what new firm sources will be available to us, which could include resources such as geothermal and pumped storage to provide firm power when customers need it and serve as back-up power to wind and solar resources.

How we developed the plan

Our mandate

It's our job to safely provide reliable, affordable, clean electricity throughout B.C. Through our long-term planning process, we consider important and sometimes competing objectives.