BC Hydro supports large commercial and industrial businesses in transitioning to cleaner, more sustainable alternatives to reduce climate pollution and build a low-carbon economy.
If your business is looking to establish new operations or expand existing operations for a new end-use in British Columbia (B.C.), your project may be eligible for support to undertake interconnection studies.
Interconnection studies are mandatory for projects requiring a new or upgraded connection to the BC Hydro transmission system.
Our experts can guide you through the interconnection process and help identify available industrial sites. Choosing an available industrial site may reduce the time and cost to connect to our grid.
All applicants should complete our pre-screening eligibility form to determine funding eligibility for the range of programs we administer.
Eligibility
Businesses may be eligible for connection study and project implementation support if they meet the following criteria:
- New customer connecting to our grid or an existing customer expanding operations for a new end-use
- Eligible sectors such as those in the clean tech and high-tech sectors, (ie. data centers, hydrogen, low-carbon fuel producers, and carbon capture operations)
- Use proven technologies deployed in an operational setting
- The project requires transmission or distribution electrical service load greater than 2.5 megawatts (MW)
- Proponents must demonstrate a need for project funding, creditworthiness, as well as financial capacity to implement the project
Pipelines, oil refineries, natural gas liquefaction facilities, and methanol production operations are not eligible.
Type of interconnection studies
Before proposed projects can connect to the grid, businesses must complete interconnection studies to evaluate the cost, feasibility, and impact of new load on our system.
Two categories of service connections for commercial and industrial customers require studies:
System Impact Studies and Facilities Studies are conducted for industrial sites requiring a transmission service connection (load connections 35 kilovolts (kV) and greater). These studies determine the feasibility and costs of connecting an operation to the grid.
If the industrial site requires a distribution service connection (load connections less than 35kV), we will complete detailed design and engineering work to determine construction costs and project deliverables.
Amount of support
Funding levels will be determined on a project-by-project basis. To determine what funding your project may be eligible for, please complete the pre-screening eligibility form.
Find out if your business is eligible
Fill in our pre-screening eligibility form and our experts can help:
- Recommend support and incentives that may provide cost reductions.
- Help you find your industrial site.
- Direct you to stackable incentive programs for specific sectors and energy management programs available from other levels of government.
- Guide you through the application process.
