Members enjoy the following 5 services and benefits:

1. Better information through efficient e-communication tools

2. Immediate, continuous and free access to IPPBC Reports, Presentations and letters;

3. Ability to influence BC electricity industry policy by participating in the IPPBC's advocacy Reports, Presentations, Letters and Meetings

4. Networking and Selling Opportunities

5. Event Discounts "payback" on Membership Fee

1. Better information through efficient e-communication tools

The IPPBC assists members in reducing their data gathering costs and to improve their industry knowledge by providing the following convenient email services:

News Flashes: Email broadcast system that sends approximately 200 newsworthy articles a year to every IPPBC member focused on BC electricity news and issues of particular relevance to IPPs

Event Alerts: Approximately twice each month, the email broadcast "alerts" members to upcoming events including; industry conferences, new RFPs, announcements of new government programs or changes of law and invitations for IPP input by government agencies. Many of these events have impending deadlines.

Issue Flags: When new issues appear that materially effect IPP project development the Directors occasionally prepare Position Papers or Flag the new threat or opportunity for member’s attention. Examples include; the IPPBC's Commentaries on BC Hydro's Electricity Purchase Agreements, key BCUC Decisions, highlighting the lack of change-of-law flow-throughs, Navigable Waters Act rulings, proposed changes to Minimum Flow Guidelines and Fish Data Gathering requirements, Wind Turbine Sound regulations, NERC requirements.

IPP Toolbox:  The Info Corner of the website is frequently updated with IPP development tools that are either recently updated regulations/models, hard to find documents, or important tools that members may not be aware of including; websites that track Water License Applications, the government’s definition of Clean Electricity, 13 IPP Land Tenure Q & As from MEMPR and MAL, Review of new CCDC 2 contract, Guide on Pursuing Biomass Energy Opportunities in BC, Life Cycle Assessment of Carbon Footprint for various types of generation, AutoCAD version of BCTC System, Comparison of Energy Payback Ratios of a dozen fuels, BC Hydro Org. Charts, and over two dozen more IPP tools.

The IPPBC focuses on issues and programs that benefit the IPP membership as a whole or a critical mass of members on a critical issue. IPPBC does not provide narrow advisory service to individual companies – rather they are encouraged to engage those of our member companies that perform that work. Accordingly, member companies can benefit by occasionally receiving leads and referrals.

2. Access to IPPBC Reports, Presentations and letters; immediate, continuous and free 

IPPBC Reports, Presentations and advocacy letters are sent directly to members when they are published. Only IPPBC members can also download these Reports and Presentation from the members-only section of the website. Most non-members are not informed of these publications and if later they want them they must pay for these Reports.

Reports: The following 10 sample IPPBC Reports were sent directly to IPPBC members and can be downloaded from the members-only section of this website:

  1. IPPBC Summary of BCUC Decision on BC Hydro Revenue Requirements Application, November, 2004
  2. IPPBC "Cost of Importing Electricity" submission to BC Ministry of Finance, October 15, 1994
  3. BC WISE Wind Interconnection System Expansion Study, Project Managed by IPPBC, August, 2004
  4. IPPBC Final Argument to BCUC on BC Hydro's Revenue Requirement Application, July 1, 2004
  5. IPPBC Transmission Issues Preliminary Position Paper" presented to BCTC, May, 2004
  6. IPPBC Commentary on Coast Guard's Draft Navigational Impact Assessment Requirements for hydro IPPs in BC, letter sent April 19, 2004
  7. IPPBC Final Argument to BCUC with respect to a proposal by British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority regarding a Heritage Contract for B.C. Hydro's existing generation resources and  regarding stepped rates and Transmission Access Principles, August 2003
  8. IPPBC Commentary on Federal GHG Offset System Discussion Paper, July, 2003
  9. IPPBC Commentary on BC Hydro Net Metering White Paper, June 2003
  10. IPABC Review of BC Hydro Standard EPA for CBG - I, November, 2002
Presentations: The following 9 sample IPPBC Presentations were sent directly to members only and can be downloaded from the members-only section of this website:

   1. "Hydro & Wind IPPs in BC and Aboriginal Involvement" IPPBC President presentation to Aboriginal Energy Expo, November, 2004

   2. "IPPBC President's Report at IPPBC Forum-AGM"- presentation, May 27, 2004

   3. "BCTC Capital Planning Process and 10 year Plan" - presentation to IPPBC Forum-AGM, May 27, 2004

   4. "Powerex a buyer of BC IPP power" - presentation to IPPBC Forum-AGM,  May 27, 2004

   5. "Puget Sound Energy as a buyer of BC IPP energy" - presentation to IPPBC Forum-AGM,  May 27, 2004

   6. "State of Bonneville Power Administration Grid" - presentation to IPPBC Forum-AGM,  May 27, 2004

   7. "New Era for IPP in BC - Role of Natural Gas" IPPBC President's presentation to 5th BC Natural Gas Symposium, May 12, 2004

   8. "BC's Future Electricity Supply" IPPBC Director Campbell's presentation to Vancouver Board of Trade, March 23, 2004

   9. "IPPBC President & Directors Reports at IPABC AGM"- presentation, June 5, 2003

 The following 9 sample IPPBC Presentations were sent directly to members only and can be downloaded from the members-only section of this website:Letters: Copies of the following 5 sample IPPBC letters were sent to IPPBC members and can be downloaded from the members-only section of this website:

1.       "Sea to Sky LRMP - Opposition to IPP No-Go Zones", letter to BC Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management, June, 2004

2.       "Opposition to BC Hydro and Canfor to build 48 MW power plant in Prince George" letter to BC Ministry of Energy & Mines, January, 2004

3.IPPBC letter to Select Standing Commitee of Crown Corporations, June 9, 2003

4.IPABC letter to BC Hydro on BCUC Decision on Extra-ordinary Cost Flow-throughs,  March 21, 2003

5.IPPBC letter objecting to Columbia Power Crown Corps Brilliant Project in Green IPP Call, March 11, 2003

3. Influence BC electricity industry policy

Committees, Report creation and meetings: Only IPPBC members may sit on IPPBC Committees and directly influence the content of IPPBC Reports and letters and join in their presentation to BC Hydro, BCTC and government officials.

See the List of the 8 IPPBC Committees and the approximately 35 Committee Members.

Member-Only Blogs: In the members-only level of the website IPPBC members can communicate with each other on the e-Forum web log (blog) on topics ranging from the Definition of Dependable Capacity to Key Terms in the Electricity Purchase Agreement to the SLRD's "No IPP" Creeks issue.

4. Networking and Selling Opportunities

The IPPBC holds Conferences, Annual General Meetings, and IPP Forums, where leaders from the energy industry speak on current topics.  Over 600 people have attended IPPBC events in the last 12 months.

Members receive early notification and company profile raising sponsorship opportunities at these events.

Member Advertising: Including listing on Member/Supplier Directory, access to 300 member companies contact information, postings in “Members in the News”, being featured on Sponsor Spotlight e-broadcasts, having a hot-link from www.ippbc.com to their company website, and priority access to exhibitors booths at conference

The website contains a Suppliers Directory, and lists Employment Ads and Investment Opportunities.


Larry Bell, Chair of BC Hydro and Powerex addressing Annual IPPBC Conference, October, 2003


5. Event Discounts "payback" on Membership Fee

Each employee of a company that is an IPPBC member will save ~25% on registration at IPPBC events.

IPPBC annual conference:

$1000 * - Registration for employees of non-member companies (* a little less for an early-bird, a little more for at-the-door registration)
$750* - Registration for employees of MEMBER companies (*ditto) 
$250 - Savings per employee

IPPBC Energy Minister’s Lunch & AGM:

$75 - Registration for employees of non-member companies
$50 - Registration for employees of MEMBER companies
$25 - Savings per employee

$550 per year - Total savings for a member company sending 2 employees to both events

Plus, when other conference organizers invite the IPPBC President to speak, the IPPBC offers to assist on promoting their conference and waives speaking fees in return for getting a  10 - 20% discount for IPPBC members at these others' events.

For instance, on March 28-29, 2007, IPPBC members that attended the 4th Annual BC Power Summit (hosted by Insight Info) received a $200 discount on registration compared to non-IPPBC members.

So, if a member that is paying annual IPPBC membership fee of $800 sends 2 employees to the three above events, the company will have saved $950 – which is $150 MORE than their annual  membership fee.

6. Future services

The IPPBC is planning to:

  1. offer members advertising space on this website and
  2. publish a Suppliers Directory and Resource Guide.
  3. create crisp Fact Sheets on issues like: 
  • List of Permits for Run of River Hydro Projects
  • List of Recreational Improvements created by Run of River Hydro Projects
  • Cost of Importing Electricity 
Contact steve.davis@ippbc.com for more info. 

Join us at:

Mark your calendar to join us at the IPPBC AGM & Forum June 18, 2009 Vancouver, BC
Download IPP Fact Sheets and concise myth busting information
from our Media Room by clicking here.
Call 604-461-4778