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Taku River Tlingit see bright future in hydroelectricity

The Taku River Tlingit First Nation's development arm says, despite some local residents' concerns, the hydroelectric expansion would generate revenue and create local jobs.

B.C. First Nation wants to triple hydroelectricity production in Atlin, though some oppose part of the plan

Philippe Morin · CBC News ·
TJ Esquiro works at the Atlin plant and says he's very proud of what's been built. "It's using what mother nature gives us which is gravity. It's not extraction. It's natural," he says. (Philippe Morin/CBC)

The Taku River Tlingit First Nation's development arm says despite some local residents' concerns, hydroelectricity is a great opportunity to pursue.

Peter Kirby, CEO of Tlingit Homeland Energy Ltd, says Atlin's existing hydroelectric plant is a model of environmentally-sustainable power generation.

The station has been running since 2009 and saves Atlin from burning more than a million litres of diesel fuel each year.

The Taku River Tlingit First Nation is now considering an expansion which would see two more turbine stations built. 

Kirby says he is confident some local homeowners' concerns can be met without abandoning the idea to boost production from about two megawatts to about seven in the small BC community. 

First Nation would sell power to Yukon

The hydroelectric plant in Atlin already supplies enough electricity for the community's needs. The proposed expansion would be a business venture, intended to sell electricity to Yukon.

Community members in Atlin still buy power from the BC Hydro grid at the regular rate. However the Taku River Tlingit First Nation receives resource royalties of about $6,000 a year from the province of British Columbia.

Kirby says the hydroelectric plant directly employs two full-time operators as well as a trainee.

T.J. Esquiro works at the Atlin plant and says he's very proud of what's been built.

For me, it's a use of gravity. If you use it in a proper way you don't hurt anything. This is enhancing the river. We're cleaning up the carbon footprint"- TJ Esquiro, hydroelectric plant operator, Atlin
"For me, it's a use of gravity. If you use it in a proper way you don't hurt anything. This is enhancing the river. We're cleaning up the carbon footprint, so when I look at it, understanding from our side of the culture, the less the impact the better. If you look around and you look for your impact and there's nothing — you're doing your job. It's using what mother nature gives us which is gravity. It's not extraction. It's natural," he says.

Residents' concerns can be mitigated, says CEO

Tlingit Homeland Energy Ltd's plans for expansion call for two new power stations on Pine Creek. 

One would be near Atlin's existing hydroelectric plant. Another would be further downstream on Pine Creek beach.

Some people who live in Atlin say they welcome the first proposal, but have raised concerns about the second. They say a turbine at Pine Creek beach would be too noisy as it is near their homes. They also say development such as tree-cutting and power lines would mar the appearance of a popular beach which is accessed through nature trails off Warm Bay Road.

Kirby says residents' concerns will be heard as the project is studied. However, he says the First Nation is right to pursue hydroelectricity in the region as a general principle.

"Atlin is a remote community so employment is important all the time. This project will provide a few years' of construction employment for people in the region. There will be more operations and maintenance people employed in the generation facilities and the transmission facilities to bring the power to Yukon," he says.

Kirby adds that the environmental impact is also positive. "We cannot measure what the true cost of greenhouse gas emissions are — but this will reduce greenhouse gas emissions," he says.

Two big green pipes.
The Atlin hydroelectric project, built in 2009, prevents the community from burning more than 1 million litres of diesel fuel every year. (Philippe Morin/CBC)

'A consistent flow of money into Atlin'

The First Nation has entered preliminary discussions with Yukon Energy but has not yet entered a formal agreement about selling power. 

Kirby says it's too early to say if a project will be built on Pine Creek beach at all.

Before the existing station was built in 2009, the Taku River Tlingit had entered into a 25-year guaranteed purchase agreement with the B.C. government.

"Bringing money into Atlin is always a challenge," Kirby says. "If we can build this project and negotiate a reasonable energy purchase agreement, we'll have a consistent flow of money into Atlin which will employ people for years to come. It would accrue many benefits I think everybody who lives in Atlin could come to enjoy," he says.  

Kirby says he's travelled the country as the Taku River Tlingit First Nation has consulted with other First Nations across Canada who wish to pursue the idea of microhydro.

Kirby says if residents concerns can be addressed and there are no delays, construction could begin in 2018.

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