Power networks/Canada/British Columbia

This page is dedicated for the mapping of power-related infrastructure in British Columbia (BC).

Background

BC's power grid geographically is divided into a mainland grid (which forms the bulk of the provincial power grid) and the Vancouver Island grid; the two are connected by submarine cables (both AC and HVDC) under the Strait of Georgia and are synchronized with each other. Voltages used in the BC grid are like those with Alberta and nearby U.S. states, except for 63 kV subtransmission in FortisBC's network in the Southern Interior. Distribution lines are usually 12.47 kV and 24.94 kV (or 25 kV in common usage), the standard distribution voltages in Canada. The 12.47 kV networks are generally found in Metro Vancouver and within Fortis BC's grid, while the other networks generally operate at 25 kV. The BC grid is synchronous with those of its neigbours, and forms the Western Interconnection of the wider North American grid.

Most of British Columbia's grid is owned by the Crown corporation BC Hydro, but parts of the grid in the Southern Interior (most areas along the Crowsnest Highway, as well as Kelowna and Penticton) are under the investor-owned utility FortisBC. An isolated part of the BC grid in the northeast Interior (Peace River Country) is served from Alberta by ATCO Electric.

All existing power lines in BC presently mapped can be seen in Open Infrastructure Map

Voltages

Network	Voltage	Comments	Appearance
Transmission	500000	Bulk transmission voltage, usually connects hydroelectric power plants in the Interior with Metro Vancouver. Also used on the intertie lines with Alberta and Washington state (U.S.)	Large lattice single-circuit towers
Transmission	360000	Only utilized by BC Hydro to connect the Bridge River Dam to Vancouver's 230kV Grid	Large lattice single-circuit towers, similar in appearance to 500kV towers
Transmission	287000	Only used on BC Hydro's network North and just East of Prince Rupert in North-Western BC.	Lattice towers, H-frames and or steel poles, similar in appearance to 230kV structures
Transmission	230000	Most other bulk transmission lines in BC.	Lattice towers, H-frames or steel poles
Transmission	161000	Only used on FortisBC Network to connect Oliver and Warfield Substations	Wood H-Frames
Transmission	138000	General subtransmission voltage.	Wood or steel poles or H-frames
Transmission	69000	Used on BC Hydro network only.	Wood or steel poles or H-frames
Transmission	63000	Used on FortisBC network only.	Wood or steel poles or H-frames
Distribution	25000	Most distribution networks across the province.	Wood poles, generally along roads or railways, or underground cable.
Distribution	12470	Generally in Metro Vancouver and across Fortis BC's distribution grid.	Wood poles, generally along roads or railways, or underground cable.

Operators

Operator	Network	Wikidata	Website	Wikipedia	Operating area	Information	Label	Taginfo
BC Hydro	Transmission/Distrubition	Q795720 WhatLinksHere	https://www.bchydro.com	BC Hydro	Majority of province		operator=BC Hydro operator:wikidata=Q795720	operator=BC Hydro
FortisBC	Transmission/Distribution	Q5472663 WhatLinksHere	https://www.fortisbc.com	FortisBC	Southern Interior (Kelowna, Penticton, Osoyoos, Creston and surrounding area)		operator=FortisBC operator:wikidata=Q5472663	operator=FortisBC

Tagging

General

• Lines from 120/240 V to 25 kV - power=minor_line
• Lines from 63 kV and above - power=line
• Steel or wood poles on transmission lines from 63 kV - power=pole (wood or steel poles) or power=tower (wooden or steel tube H-frame structures)
• Lattice towers - power=tower
• Distribution line poles - power=pole (all single poles), power=tower (H-frames)