The B.C. NDP government香蕉视频直播檚 cancellation of B.C. Hydro香蕉视频直播檚 contract power program is a step toward new ways of adding clean energy to the province香蕉视频直播檚 electricity grid, Energy Minister Michelle Mungall says.
B.C. Hydro has excess power now and is losing billions selling it on the North American energy market while locked into long-term contracts, but that香蕉视频直播檚 not the end of the need, Mungall said in an interview with Black Press Monday.
The cancellation of B.C. Hydro香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渟tanding offer香蕉视频直播� program for run-of-river, wind, solar and biomass power projects leaves the door open for Indigenous energy developments to proceed.
香蕉视频直播淲hen we went forward with Site C we committed to working with Indigenous nations on future power procurement,香蕉视频直播� Mungall said. 香蕉视频直播淎 lot of Indigenous nations have seen energy as a part of economic reconciliation, but also for remote communities to get off diesel and onto more renewable sources that they own as well.香蕉视频直播�
With the Site C dam on the Peace River not scheduled to come online until 2024, new renewable projects are to be considered in the second phase of the government香蕉视频直播檚 B.C. Hydro review, Mungall said. That includes removing the B.C. Liberal government香蕉视频直播檚 ban on the utility owning and operating its own small projects, or allowing local governments to get into the power production business.
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
Mungall香蕉视频直播檚 home community of Nelson has its own power utility and hydro dam on the Kootenay River that supplies more than half of its own needs, buying the rest from FortisBC.
香蕉视频直播淲ould it be better for local governments to develop an asset and then have an agreement with B.C. Hydro for transmission,香蕉视频直播� Mungall said. 香蕉视频直播淭here is a variety of ways we can deliver the power that future generations are going to need.香蕉视频直播�
Clean Energy B.C., the industry organization for private producers, objected to the government香蕉视频直播檚 characterization of billions being lost in power contracts that run for as long as 40 years. A review by a former B.C. Treasury Board official also supported the long-time NDP claim that run-of-river power comes in the spring, when B.C. Hydro香蕉视频直播檚 dams may be filled to overflowing with melting snow.
香蕉视频直播淚ntermittence in electricity generation is an element of the equation, but B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 large storage dams provide ideal backing for a system that still has far less intermittent power than Washington State, the U.K., Denmark, Germany and many other jurisdictions,香蕉视频直播� Clean Energy B.C. said it its response. 香蕉视频直播淣ot all run-of-river hydro plants are affected by the spring freshet snow melt.香蕉视频直播�
tfletcher@blackpress.ca
Like us on and follow us on .
