ECABC

BC Hydro is one of the largest energy suppliers in Canada. They generate and deliver electricity to 95% of the population of B.C. and serve over four million people. BC Hydro report through the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources

CALL BEFORE YOU DIG

To avoid serious danger to workers, it’s important to know what services are buried in or near your worksite. Visit BC One Call, or call 1 800 474 6886, for information about the underground services on your worksite, and to learn where it’s safe to dig.

If you need to work inside a limit of approach:

Call BC Hydro Electric Service Coordination Centre at 1 877 520 1355. They will work with you to determine what steps are necessary to protect you and their electrical system. You may need to complete WorkSafeBC’s form 30M33 [PDF, 201 KB] and they can help you.

Plan your work, know your limits, and stay back

If you work around electricity, know the 3 keys of electrical safety:

Look up and down: Plan your work so you can avoid contact with power lines. Make sure you look for power lines overhead and underground.
Keep back – know your limits: If you’re working around power lines, keep a safe distance from the lines. You should be at least 10 metres (33 feet) away from the lines and your equipment should be at least 6 metres (20 feet) away. Use a spotter to make sure you are maintaining this minimum safe distance.
Stay back and call 911: If you come across a fallen power line, an exposed underground power line, or any object comes into contact with a power line, stay back 10 metres (33 feet) and call 911. If your equipment contacts a line, stay calm and still until help arrives.

Download BC Hydro 3 keys of electrical safety poster for your worksite

Watch what can happen when you don’t follow the 3 keys of electrical safety:

Electrical Safety: Underground Contact

Electrical Safety: Fatal Crane Truck Contact

Electrical Safety: Ladder Contact

Electrical Safety: Power Line Contact

You can now initiate and manage electrical service connection requests through an online application, available in MyHydro. The online application is available to BC Hydro customers, electrical contractors, property developers, electrical consultants and project managers and features:

Mobile-friendly forms to make it easier to submit a request on a smartphone or tablet.
The ability to create and manage design requests for complex residential, multi-residential, commercial properties and sub-divisions.
A new searchable map tool that includes the ability to place a marker on an undefined address or location that is unavailable from a municipality.
A ‘save as draft’ feature to allow users to return and complete the form at a later date.

INFORMATION BULLETIN: RELEASE OF PRIMARY GUIDE REVISION 3.1 (2021 EDITION)

BC hydro has issued a bulletin to present the latest revisions to the BC Hydro Requirements for Customer-Owned Primary Services Supplied at 4 kV to 35 kV – Primary Guide (“Primary Guide”) since the last edition issued in March 2018 (revision 2). The effective date for the new 2021 edition of the Primary Guide (revision 3.1) is September 30, 2021.

ELECTRIC CAR UPDATE: MORE HELP, NEW FEES, CHARGER REBATES

Featured articles:

BC Utilities Commission approves per-minute fees for BC Hydro fast chargers
Rebates for home and workplace chargers, and EV help for stratas
BC Hydro adds charging stations, including two along Highway 16

UPDATED OCTOBER 2020 – CONCRETE ENCASEMENT OF SERVICE DUCTS WITHIN BUILDING WALLS AND METER SOCKET INSTALLATION

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BC HYDRO QUESTION & ANSWERS

List of questions/concerns that were raised at the ECABC Central Chapter Meeting, March 12th, 2020 and BC Hydro’s responses.

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KNOW YOUR POWER LINES – INFOGRAPHIC

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POWERING YOUR PROJECT
The following steps outline the process for adding to or modifying your electrical connection for your new construction or renovation project.VIEW NOW