BC Hydro ensures that the electric grid is planned, operated and maintained in a safe, reliable and cost-effective manner.
BC Hydro is a member of the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) and its regional reliability organization – the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC). We plan and operate the transmission system in accordance with NERC and WECC standards.
NERC defines reliability as comprising both adequacy and security:
- Adequacy is the ability of the transmission system to supply the total amount of electricity required to meet the needs of its customers at all times, taking into account any scheduled and/or reasonably expected unscheduled outages of system elements.
- Security is the ability of the system to withstand any sudden disturbances such as an electric short circuit or an unanticipated loss of a system element.
Key Reliability Initiatives:
We are currently undertaking a new reliability initiative: