British Columbia is proposing changes to its electricity rules that would prioritize certain industries while others would have to bid for access to a set amount of power.
B.C. Energy Minister Adrian Dix tabled legislation on Oct. 20 that would prioritize the province’s electricity supply for natural resource projects, like mining, upstream natural gas, and LNG, as well as manufacturing projects.
Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI), data centre, and hydrogen export projects would have to bid for their power, which differs from the government’s current first-come, first-served structure.
The bidding process for AI and data centres is expected to be launched in January, with 300 megawatts of power for AI and 100 megawatts for data centres available every two years. Amounts for hydrogen exports are expected to be set “at a later time, as market conditions warrant,” the province says.
The changes would also expedite the construction of the North Coast Transmission Line, which has been listed as one of the province’s 18 priority projects. Construction of the 450-kilometre line between Prince George and Terrace, B.C., is expected to begin next year and be completed by 2032–34.
“This legislation will help us move faster on the North Coast Transmission Line, a nation-building project that will deliver clean electricity to responsibly power industrial growth and job creation to increase prosperity for families, communities, our province and our country,” B.C. Premier David Eby said in an Oct. 20 statement.
Speaking at the press conference, Eby said the economic benefits the project will bring are “startling,” noting the project will contribute approximately $9.85 billion to GDP every year, create nearly 10,000 jobs per year on average, and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 2–3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
He said the changes the province is proposing to its electricity rules aim to make it easier for companies to have access to electricity at fair rates without “billions of dollars in upfront costs that can stifle investment.”
The changes come in response to requests for large amounts of power from both traditional industries like mining, natural gas, and LNG projects, as well as emerging industries such as data centres, AI, and hydrogen exports, Dix said. He noted that the province needs to take steps to manage the demand for electricity “responsibly” to ensure rates are kept low.
The new allocation framework will allow for paced growth of the emerging sectors and avoid “mistakes” other jurisdictions have made where growth has outpaced infrastructure, resulting in higher electricity costs for everyday residential customers, Dix said.
The province says it will implement regulations and directives related to allocating electricity for industrial projects in the province in November, and the competitive process to access electricity for data centres and AI will be launched by BC Hydro in January 2026.
