Category: General commentary

BC Hydro needs everything to go right for the next two years. Analysis of its latest annual reports suggests the early signs are not encouraging. Introduction Once upon a time (October 2023), BC Hydro thought it could keep bill increases to 2.3 percent a year. Customers would consume their electricity happily ever after (well, until…

The BCUC could disallow some of the forecast $16 billion cost if the project wasn’t managed prudently. It should review the project in an open and transparent inquiry. Introduction BC Hydro announced recently that the sixth and final generating unit of its Site C dam started operation in August. The press announcement focused on the…

In the two years since the government fired the BCUC chair, the agency has lost most of its powers to regulate BC Hydro, the provincially owned utility. The BC Premier’s autocratic style has reduced transparency and independence and increased financial risk. Introduction We are getting used to hearing about a well-known political leader trampling over…

The BCUC approved BC Hydro’s purchase agreements to buy electricity from new power plants. But the narrowly focused decision will do little to satisfy complaints from First Nations, and there’s a whiff of hypocrisy in the government’s claim that they are committed to reconciliation. Introduction BC Hydro, the province’s largest electricity utility, initiated its 2024…

The BCUC establishes BC Hydro’s right to maintain a transmission line where Surrey wants to build a road. Will Surrey spend more taxpayers’ money taking the dispute further? Introduction As I wrote in February, BC Hydro and the City of Surrey (Surrey) are in dispute over a set of three transmission lines built on municipal…

The BCUC is examining whether gas utilities should continue to buy biomethane from outside the province. This could upset an important part of the government’s climate strategy. Introduction Natural gas provides relatively cheap building and industrial heat in BC. But burning natural gas emits greenhouse gases (GHG), something the government is keen to reduce. There…

Construction delays are putting additional pressure on energy bills. The BCUC needs to maintain a delicate balance between the interests of utilities and their ratepayers. Introduction Energy consumers are used to price increases. According to Stats Canada, BC’s energy prices rose 32.2 percent between 2020 and 2024, compared with 17.2 percent for consumer prices overall.…

One pipeline proposal accepted, another rejected. What will the BCUC do next? Introduction Last month, the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) approved an application from Pacific Northern Gas (PNG) to build a 650-metre pipeline extension near Prince Rupert, BC (the Ridley Island Decision). The extension will meet the additional demand for natural gas at the new…

The utility is looking to collect unbilled expenditures that kept rates lower in previous years. Introduction In April this year, the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) approved an increase to the delivery charges for customers of Pacific Northern Gas’s western division (PNG-West). This is the second increase for 2025, and means delivery charges have increased by…

It’s costing municipal taxpayers and energy ratepayers a lot of money to challenge the BCUC’s decisions in court. But the BCUC hasn’t been proven wrong yet. Introduction The City of Surrey and BC Hydro are currently locked in a dispute at the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) over who should pay to move three transmission lines…