Standing Offer Program

The Standing Offer Program (SOP) is a clean and renewable electricity procurement initiative designed to encourage the development of small-scale electricity generation projects throughout British Columbia. The program accepts applications from qualified developers for projects with generation capacity between 100 kilowatts and 15 megawatts that produce clean or renewable electricity.

The program operates under the principles and policies established by the 2007 BC Energy Plan and the 2010 Clean Energy Act. Eligible projects must meet specified technical requirements and interconnection standards as outlined in the Standard Generator Interconnection Procedures under BC Hydro's Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT). Developers must comply with Distribution or Transmission generator interconnection practices depending on project specifications.

As of February 14, 2019, BC Hydro has suspended the Standing Offer Program and Micro Standing Offer Program indefinitely. New applications are no longer accepted and no new electricity purchase agreements will be awarded, with the exception of five First Nations clean energy projects announced on March 14, 2018. Applications previously submitted to date will not be advanced and the application queue has been discontinued. This suspension decision was implemented following a government comprehensive review of BC Hydro to reduce costs. The suspension does not impact existing executed electricity purchase agreements that were previously awarded. Developers with questions or seeking clarification on the program suspension should contact BC Hydro directly.