North Coast B.C. electrification

Our industrial customers in the North Coast of B.C. are interested in electrifying their existing or planned operations with clean, reliable electricity in part to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions.

To meet the demand, now and into the future, we need to expand our system in the region, including building new transmission lines.

The North Coast of B.C. is supplied by 450 km of 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission lines from Williston substation near Prince George to the Skeena substation near Terrace. Glenannan and Telkwa substations are also located along the 500 kV lines.

From Terrace, 287 kV transmission lines then head north towards the Aiyansh substation near New Aiyansh, south to the Kitimat substation, and west to Prince Rupert.

To meet growing industrial customer electricity demand, we have initiated plans to build three new, 500 kV transmission lines and associated infrastructure as shown in the map below:

• 5L064: An approximately 170 km line from Williston to Glenannan substation,
• 5L065: An approximately 130 km line from Glenannan to Telkwa substation, and
• 5L066: An approximately 145 km line from Telkwa substation to Skeena substation.

These plans will be further informed by the results of the Expression of Interest.

We're in the early planning stage and the exact routes of these lines are not yet determined. We'll continue to communicate project information as it becomes available.

Based on customer demand and location, we may also need new transmission lines between:

• Skeena and Kitimat substations; 
• Skeena and Aiyansh substations; and/or
• Skeena and Rupert substations.

The Prince George to Terrace Capacitors project is also underway. That project plans to build three new capacitor stations along the existing 500 kV lines from Williston Substation near Prince George to Skeena substation near Terrace to allow more electricity to pass through these lines.

That project is anticipated to be in service by 2028.

We've launched an Expression of Interest (EOI) process through which current and prospective customers in the North Coast of B.C can indicate their interest in taking electricity service from us and inform us of their electricity needs.

We'll use the information we gather to help plan the future of our transmission infrastructure in the region.

As we continue to work with our customers to understand their electrification needs, we're initiating discussions with First Nations and stakeholders.

We're in the early study phase of assessing interest from potential customers and gathering information about the transmission corridors for the proposed new transmission lines. We'll provide more information on the schedules of individual projects as they move ahead.