BC Hydro announces first private ‘clean power’ providers

BC Hydro has announced it has selected the first group of 19 projects to be awarded electricity purchase agreements under the Clean Power Call. Combined, the projects will generate more than 2,400 gigawatt hours of clean, reliable electricity annually –- enough to supply close to 218,000 homes in B.C. As well, construction will create 3,000 person years of employment and $3 billion in capital investment in BC.

“These first project selections represent a significant step forward in meeting our provincial goal of becoming energy self-sufficient and building a clean energy powerhouse here in B.C.,” said Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. “This is the first step towards meeting our Throne Speech commitment to fair, predictable, clean power calls that will feature simplified procurement protocols and new measures to encourage investment in this province.”

Bev Van Ruyven, acting President and CEO of BC Hydro said, “These projects were selected because they are among the most advanced clean energy proposals put forward,” “We look forward to announcing more of these projects in the weeks ahead as we advance towards our target of acquiring up to 5,000 gigawatt hours a year of clean, reliable electricity generated here in British Columbia.”

A further 28 projects remain in the Clean Power Call and BC Hydro expects to select additional projects for the award of electricity purchase agreements in late March depending on the progress of discussions with proponents. In addition, BC Hydro will assess the adequacy of the proponents’ consultation with First Nations.

The nineteen projects selected at this point for the award of electricity purchase agreements under the Clean Power Call are as follows:

Fourteen Run-of-River projects:

• C-Free Power Corp. (41 GWh/yr) Gold Bridge
• Cloudworks Energy Inc. (110 GWh/yr) Harrison Hot Springs
• Cloudworks Energy Inc. (44 GWh/yr) Mission
• Cloudworks Energy Inc. (56 GWh/yr) Harrison Hot Springs
• Creek Power Inc. (143 Gwh/yr) Pemberton
• Creek Power Inc. (48 GWh/yr) Pemberton
• Creek Power Inc. (34 GWh/yr) Pemberton
• Kwagis Power Limited Partnership (183 GWh/yr) Port McNeill
• Plutonic Power Corp/GE Energy Financial Services Co. (214Gwh/yr) near Powell R.
• Selkirk Power Co. Ltd. (86 GWh/yr) near Golden
• NI Hydro Holding Corp.(Stlixwim Partnership) 3 projects (198GWh/yr) Sechelt
• Swift Power Corp. (46 GWh/yr) Terrace

Five Wind Projects:

• CP Renewable Energy (BC) Ltd. Partnership (formerly EPCOR) (434 GWh/yr) Tumbler Ridge
• Finavera Renewables Inc.(142 GWh/year) Tumbler Ridge
• Finavera Renewables Inc.(327 GWh/year) Tumbler Ridge
• Finavera Renewables Inc.(140 GWh/year) Tumbler Ridge
• Finavera Renewables Inc.(204 GWh/year) Chetwynd

Questions and Answers about the lead-up to today’s announcement can be found on the BC Hydro website at:

http://www.bchydro.com/planning_regulatory/acquiring_power/clean_power_call/q_as.html