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2020 Bulletin Index - May to August

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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 2020 are listed below. Select another year to the right to view bulletins from the archive.

View the 2020 bulletins

May to August

Extended Windows for Labour Day

Posted on August 27, 1:30 p.m.

BC Hydro is pleased to visually clarify the opening of extended windows [PDF, 59 KB] for purchasing transmission for Labour Day, Monday September 7, 2020.


Technical issues with Pre-emption and Competition Modules

Posted on August 13, 1:45 p.m.

OATI is currently experiencing technical issues with its Pre-emption and Competition Modules, and is currently working to resolve it. Further updates will be made as the issue is resolved. Until the modules are fixed, competitions won’t be processed by BC Hydro.


Extended Windows for New Month August 2020

Posted on July 28, 5:30 p.m.

BC Hydro is pleased to visually clarify the opening of extended windows [PDF, 51 KB] for purchasing transmission for the new month starting Saturday, August 1, 2020.


Change to Release of Unused Firm Transmission Capacity in Real Time – Determination

Posted on July 20, 12:52 p.m.

Further to the bulletin posted on June 15, BC Hydro solicited feedback on Capital Power’s request for BC Hydro to consider changing the release of unscheduled firm transmission capacity in real-time from T-60 to T-85.  Consequently, BC Hydro received feedback from ENMAX Energy Corporation, Heartland GenerationTransAlta Energy Marketing Corp., Powerex Corp., and TC Energy.  BC Hydro appreciates the comments received for its consideration.  BC Hydro has reviewed the comments received and, at this time, has decided not to change the release time of its unscheduled firm transmission service.  BC Hydro has observed that none of the active participants in the CAISO EIM have changed their timelines with respect to the release of unscheduled firm transmission as non-firm in real-time.


Extended Windows for Independence Day

Posted on June 29, 5:10 p.m.

BC Hydro is pleased to visually clarify the opening of extended windows [PDF, 51 KB] for purchasing transmission for Independence Day 2020.


Proposed Change to Release of Unused Firm Transmission Capacity in Real Time Posting of Transmission Service Offerings

Posted on June 15, 4:00 p.m.

Overview

BC Hydro received a request from Capital Power, most of which forms this bulletin, to make changes to Section 4.1 of the Posting of Transmission Service Offerings Business Practice.  Capital Power's proposal is as follows in this bulletin. Please provide your feedback on these proposed changes, and why you do or do not support them to Brenda Ambrosi by end of business day on June 30.  BC Hydro may post the verbatim comments received by stakeholders.

CUSTOMER PROPOSAL

With expanding use of the CAISO Energy Imbalance Market (EIM), inconsistent scheduling requirements for transmission between jurisdictions is making it increasingly difficult to transact with counterparties who participate in this market.  The intent of the proposed change to BC Hydro’s business practice is to align its scheduling practices with the Alberta Electric System Operator and Balancing Authorities in the CAISO EIM, which will allow market participants in Alberta to deliver energy across BC Hydro’s transmission system to the Pacific Northwest. The misalignment between current requirements is described below to illustrate the issue and support the proposed change.  

Current Business Practices:

BC Hydro

The current BC Hydro Posting of Transmission Service Offerings Business Practice provides for the release and posting of the unused firm transmission capacity at the top of the hour, 1 hour before the start of the next delivery hour.  Thereafter, market participants are able to secure this unused capacity for delivery to adjoining Balancing Authorities.

Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO)

The AESO business practices relating to transmission transfer capability (TTC) are contained in Section 203.6 of the ISO rules, Available Transfer Capability (ATC) and Transfer Path Management. The AESO market rules require participants to submit their intentions to flow on the AB-BC Path at T-120. The AESO subsequently updates the ATC of the Path at T-85 in advance of the settlement interval, at 15 minutes in advance of the settlement interval if required, and again in real-time if system conditions warrant.  With these timelines, market participants and BC Hydro receive an accurate assessment of ATC at the T-85 timeframe.

Note: BC Hydro identifies AESO’s ATC as TTC, which is the amount of electric power that can be transferred over the interconnected transmission network in a reliable manner while meeting all of a specific set of pre-defined pre- and post-contingency system conditions.  BC Hydro defines ATC as the amount of transfer capability remaining in the transmission network available over and above committed uses; for example, ATC is automatically calculated whenever transmission service is purchased or a contingency occurs.  

California Independent System Operator (CAISO)

The CAISO Business Practice Manuals for Market Operations provides the Real-Time Market timelines to which Balancing Authorities must adhere for participation in the EIM. The Business Practice Manual for Market Operations Section 2.3.2, Real-Time Processes, and Section 7, Real-Time Processes, includes timelines for the Real-Time Market, the Hour-Ahead Scheduling Process (HASP), the Short-Term Unit  Commitment (STUC), and the Real-Time Unit Commitment (RTUC) processes. These sequenced processes provide advisory schedules, unit commitment instructions, and dispatches for market operations. The relevant timelines are as follows: 

Real-Time Market (RTM) – bidding for RTM occurs from the time Day-Ahead Schedules are posted until 75 minutes before the beginning of each trading hour.

Hour-Ahead Scheduling Process (HASP/RTUC#1) – incorporates the inputs of the RTM bidding to establish HASP advisory schedules.  The process begins at 71.5 minutes before the trading hour.

Short-Term Unit Commitment (STUC/RTUC#2) – incorporates the HASP schedules starting at approximately 52.5 minutes to provide unit commitment instructions ahead of the trading hour.

Rationale for Change to the Current Practice:

Based on the AESO updates to intertie ATC at 85 minutes before the trading hour, it is requested that the release of any unused firm transmission capacity from BC Hydro should not occur prior to this point.

Further, based on the CAISO timelines for advisory schedules and unit commitments, posting unused firm transmission capacity should occur with enough time to allow market participants to secure available capacity and have time to deliver this to Balancing Authorities in the CAISO EIM.

Therefore, the optimal timeline to satisfy these conditions is a release of unused firm transmission capacity on the AB-BC Path at T-85, incorporating accurate ATC information from the AESO and allowing the most time for compliance with EIM schedules.  Note:  If BC Hydro changes its business practice from T-60 to T-85 for the release of unused firm transmission capacity in real time, it will be for all paths not just the AB-BC path.

Timeline for illustrative purposes:

Timeline

Scheduling System Issue - Resolved

Posted on June 6, 1:37 p.m.

The issue impacting the scheduling system has been resolved by vendor.  Thank you for your patience.  


Scheduling System Issue

Posted on June 6, 12:50 p.m.

BC Hydro is experiencing a sheduling system outage and is investigating.  Will keep you updated when there's further development.  


Extended Windows for New Month June 2020

Posted on May 27, 4:22 p.m.

BC Hydro is pleased to visually clarify the opening of extended windows [PDF, 51 KB] for purchasing transmission for the new month starting Monday, June 1, 2020.


Extended Windows for Memorial Day

Posted on May 12, 2:40 p.m.

BC Hydro is pleased to visually clarify the opening of extended windows [PDF, 56 KB] for purchasing transmission for Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, 2020.


Settlements & Billing Business Practice Amendment

Posted on May 9, 3:19 p.m.

BC Hydro has amended its Settlements & Billing Business Practice to update information regarding notifications on its Customer Portal.  The amended section is indicated by a vertical line in the right margin on page 2 of the amended business practice[PDF, 289KB] Please provide feedback to Brenda Ambrosi by end of business on May 22, 2020.  If there is no feedback from customers the business practice will become effective May 25, 2020.