Disclosure on Management Approach - Materials

Long-term strategy for managing and phasing out high and low level in-service PCBs

A large portion of BC Hydro's older electrical oil filled equipment contains low but detectable levels of PCBs. BC Hydro is reducing the amount of PCB contaminated equipment in use within the Distribution, Transmission and Generation systems through normal equipment attrition, planned equipment upgrades and proactive replacement programs.

In fiscal 2011, BC Hydro initiated a program to identify and locate the population of untested equipment which has the potential to PCBs. This information will be used to complete the design of a comprehensive company-wide PCB sampling plan to confirm the location of units containing PCBs at levels of 50 ppm or more, so they can be changed out in accordance with the federal PCB Regulations deadline. The sampling plan for the Transmission system was designed and implemented in F2011. BC Hydro PCB equipment phase out plans will comply with the regulatory requirements while addressing risks related to safety, reliability, costs and the environment.