BC Hydro has selected nine wind-energy projects through its 2024 call for power to supply renewable, affordable electricity to growing communities throughout British Columbia (B.C.) B.C. province announced on Dec. 9, 2024.
While public disclosure of the successful projects was being prepared by the BC Hydro, one of the projects voluntarily withdrew and was not included in the announcement.
Offering a 30-year electricity-purchase agreement to the next-highest evaluated project, BC Hydro facilitates to maximize the power generation available through this call for power.
The ShTSaQU Solar Project in the southern Interior near Logan Lake is the newly added project , which will provide 104 megawatts of capacity.
The Independent Power Producer partner is BluEarth Renewables Inc. and the First Nation partner is Oregon Jack Creek.
These 10 clean and renewable projects spread across nearly every region in the province will collectively generate approximately 5,000 gigawatt hours of electricity annually will increase BC Hydro’s current supply by 8% enough to power half a million new homes and generate between $5 billion and $6 billion in private capital investment.
While engaging extensively with First Nations on the design of the call for power, BC Hydro’s requirement was that projects must have a minimum 25% equity ownership held by First Nations.
Eight of the 10 successful energy projects will have 51% equity ownership representing $2.5 billion to $3 billion of ownership by First Nations in new renewable energy projects in the province.
Committed to holding regular competitive calls for power based on electricity demand, the Province and BC Hydro ensures that as the B.C. economy and population grow, it has the clean electricity it needs, while keeping rates affordable.
Besides the call for power, BC Hydro is implementing several actions to meet the increasing demand from population growth, housing construction, business and industrial development, and transportation. These actions will power more than one million new homes in the coming years. This includes:
- adding the Site C hydroelectric dam, which will power 500,000 homes;
- investments in energy efficiency, which are expected to save 2,000 gigawatt hours of electricity annually (enough to power 200,000 homes);
- renewing existing electricity-purchase agreements; and
- exploring the use of utility-scale batteries.
The BC Environmental Assessment Office requires solar projects with a capacity equal to or more than 50 megawatts.
