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2019 Bulletin Index - May to August

We periodically post bulletins here to inform customers of developments within BC Hydro Transmission and/or the industry and/or to solicit feedback on policy changes. These announcements can be time sensitive, so please subscribe for the updates.

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Our Transmission Scheduling bulletins for 2019 are listed below. Select another year to the right to view bulletins from the archive.

View the 2019 bulletins

May to August

BC Hydro to Become British Columbia Reliability Coordinator (BCRC) Effective September 2

Posted on August 27, 12:45 p.m.

Further to the bulletin posted on July 12, BC Hydro has received approval from the BCUC for its RC registration.  Effective September 2, 2019 the BCRC will be responsible for assessing transmission reliability, coordinating system operations, and directing actions to preserve the integrity and reliability of the Bulk Electric System for all of BC.  Further, the BCRC will be responsible for the coordination and oversight to reliably operate the interconnected grid.  Additional information regarding the transition to multiple RCs in the Western Interconnection after Peak closes on December 3, 2019 can be found in the WECC Reliability Coordinator Forum


Extended Windows for Labour Day

Posted on August 23, 1:40 p.m.

BC Hydro is pleased to visually clarify the opening of extended windows [PDF, 163 KB] for purchasing transmission for Labour Day, Monday September 2, 2019.
 


BC Hydro to Become British Columbia Reliability Coordinator (BCRC) Effective September 2, 2019

Posted on July 12, 2:35 p.m.

In July 2018, Peak Reliability (Peak), the existing Reliability Coordinator (RC) for B.C., announced that it would no longer provide RC services after December 3, 2019.  BC Hydro submitted its application for registration as the RC for BC to the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) in September 2018 and followed up with additional information filed with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) in October 2018.  In May 2019, a certification team from the WECC, North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), Peak, California Independent System Operator (CAISO), Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), and FortisBC conducted an on-site review of BCRC’s capabilities to provide RC services to BC.  The BCRC Certification Report was sent to the BCUC for approval and shadow operations with Peak commenced on July 8.


The BCRC will be responsible for assessing transmission reliability, coordinating system operations, and directing actions to preserve the integrity and reliability of the Bulk Electric System (BES) for all of BC.  Further, the BCRC will be responsible for the coordination and oversight to reliably operate the interconnected grid.  

In preparation for the September 2, 2019 go-live date, changes are required in the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) Electric Industry Registry (EIR) system to facilitate the Western Interconnection RC changes occurring in 2019.  The EIR Transition Guide sets out how RCs and Balancing Authorities (BAs) must edit their records in the NAESB EIR to ensure all processes and systems related to transmission scheduling reflect the appropriate RC entity.  There will be no impact to Purchasing Selling Entities’ tagging requirements.


Additional information regarding the transition to multiple RCs in the Western Interconnection can be found in the WECC Reliability Coordinator Forum.  The five RCs that will be responsible for the Western Interconnection, after Peak closes, include BCRC (BC Hydro), AESO (Alberta Electric System Operator) RC, RC West (CAISO), SPP (Southwest Power Pool) RC, and Gridforce RC.  The transition timelines and milestones for the new RCs are as follows:

RC

Network Economy Test Results - July 12 and 13, 2019

Posted on July 10, 4:50 p.m.

Network Economy Test Results for July 12, 2019 [PDF, 11 KB] and July 13, 2019 [PDF, 11 KB] did not post as expected on Wednesday, July 10, 2019. Please reference this bulletin for the test results.


Extended Windows for Independence Day

Posted on June 20, 2:20 p.m.

BC Hydro is pleased to visually clarify the opening of extended windows [PDF, 152 KB] for purchasing transmission for Independence Day, Thursday, July 4, 2019.


Extended Windows for New Month July 2019

Posted on June 20, 2:00 p.m.

BC Hydro is pleased to visually clarify the opening of extended windows [PDF, 150 KB] for purchasing transmission for the new month starting Monday, July 1, 2019.


Open Season Business Practice Posted for Customer Comment

Posted on June 17, 11:15 a.m.

BC Hydro has amended its Business Practice on Open Season. The Open Season establishes the cost of Network Upgrades required to meet the aggregated request and provides the mechanism for sharing these costs among the Open Season participants pro rata based on the quantity of transmission service awarded. The revised business practice provides clarity, in particular, to the allocation of existing ATC and transmission capacity from Network Upgrades.

Please provide your feedback on the Open Season Business Practice [DOC, 71 KB] to Brenda Ambrosi on or before July 2, 2019. BC Hydro may post the feedback received and respond to it in a subsequent bulletin.


Extended Windows for New Month June 2019

Posted on May 27, 4:50 p.m.

BC Hydro is pleased to visually clarify the opening of extended windows [PDF, 71 KB] for purchasing transmission for new month starting Saturday, June 1, 2019.


Extended Windows for Memorial Day

Posted on May 17, 5:10 p.m.

BC Hydro is pleased to visually clarify the opening of extended windows [PDF, 78 KB] for purchasing transmission for Memorial Day on Monday, May 27th.

Long-Term PTP Transmission Priority Queue

Posted on May 16, 4:15 p.m.

The Firm Sales to Alberta Long-Term PTP Transmission Priority Queue has been revised.  Previous version of the updates can be viewed at Archived LTPTP Transmission Queue Updates.


Extended Windows for Schedulers' Meeting

Posted on May 3, 1:15 p.m.

BC Hydro is pleased to visually clarify the opening of extended windows [PDF, 158 KB] for purchasing transmission for the Schedulers' Meeting on Wednesday, May 15th.