2001 Triple Bottom Line Report - BC Hydro

A N I N C R E A S E I N T H E P R I C E O F
L I G H T - L O A D - H O U R E N E R G Y I S E X P E C T E D
T O D E C R E A S E M A R G I N S O N E L E C T R I C I T Y
T R A D E T R A N S A C T I O N S .
R E G I O N A L T R A N S M I S S I O N O R G A N I Z A T I O N
An increasingly dynamic business market for utilities is being created
by trends towards wholesale electricity trade, retail transmission,
fair trade and market power, industry consolidation and convergence,
environmental expectations, technology and e-business.
BC Hydro is responding to opportunities by rethinking our
business strategy and developing new business models.
Our most notable activities have involved the Regional Transmission
Organization (RTO) initiative, which has significant implications
for protecting and enhancing BC Hydro’s electricity trade income.
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RTOs are being created in response to a recent order of the
U.S. FERC, which is intended to facilitate open access to
wholesale transmission in order to promote electricity trade.
Participation in RTOs is voluntary. We are involved in designing
the rules for RTOs in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, and are working
on ways for BC Hydro to participate while respecting B.C.’s
sovereignty and its legal and regulatory requirements. We are
also working to ensure no unintended trade barriers are embodied
in the proposal that goes before FERC to create the RTO.