B.C. announces 9 new wind projects to power equivalent of 500,000 homes
Majority of projects are in Interior and north and will add about 8% to power supply, government says
British Columbia has given the green light to nine wind energy projects that it says will boost the province's hydroelectric grid by eight percent a year, providing almost 5,000 gigawatt hours of energy annually, or enough to power 500,000 homes.
That number is roughly equivalent to the power projected to be generated by the Site C dam, which recently started feeding power into B.C.'s electrical grid at a construction cost of $16 billion.
B.C. Hydro, the province's Crown utility, selected the wind power projects following a strong response to its call for new renewable power-generation operations, Premier David Eby said at a news conference.
The development and construction will generate between $5 billion and $6 billion in private spending on the projects, four of which will be located in the B.C. Interior, four in the North and one on Vancouver Island, said the premier.
"We need more electricity," Eby said, adding the prospect of more people, more jobs and more companies in B.C. will mean an increased need for clean, renewable energy.
"We also want companies to switch away from polluting fuels that can add to climate change," he said. "To put it all together, we need a lot more juice, and that's what this announcement is about."
The projects are slated for completion by 2031 at the latest, and eight of them have a 51 per cent Indigenous equity ownership, he said.
The partner First Nations for the projects are the Upper Nicola Band, Lower Nicola Indian Band, Ashcroft Indian Band and Westbank First Nation in the southern Interior; the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation, Stellate'en First Nation, Western Moberly First Nation and the Saulteau First Nation in the north; and the Wei Wai Kum First Nation on Vancouver Island.
Projects will skip environmental assessment
The province also says all of the projects will be exempt from the regular review that new energy projects have to go through before being approved.
That process, known as the environmental assessment process, is a seven-step process meant to assess the "potential environmental, social, economic, health and cultural effects" and is conducted by the Environmental Assessment Office, which includes public consultation and a breakdown of the potential positive and negative impacts a project would have.
In its release, the province says wind energy projects have been exempted from the process in order to "aid in the development of new sources of clean energy."
The province says instead it is taking a streamlined approach to clean energy projects "while maintaining public confidence in regulatory oversight."
In an interview with CBC On the Island host Gregor Craigie, Energy Minister Adrian Dix said the sped-up process would shave "years" off of the time it takes to construct the projects.
"In a time of climate change, people are looking for urgent action, and this is urgent action," he said.
LISTEN | Dix discusses new wind energy projects: [MEDIA]
Dix said B.C. has already conducted extensive reviews of the impact of wind energy projects and does not see a need to assess the issues for every individual project.
"We know what the issues are," he said, adding a permitting process was still in place that would provide oversight as construction moves forward.
Increasing demand for power
The power supply announcement comes as B.C. is seeing increased demand for power both for personal use, such as for electric vehicles and heat pumps, and for major industrial projects, such as LNG export facilities in northwest B.C.
It also comes as the Business Council of B.C. issued a report outlining concerns about the province's economic future due to a potential decline in private sector investment and the completion of megaprojects like the Site C hydroelectric dam.
The council's report said B.C. faces an "economic plateau," and with no large projects scheduled, the province's outlook remains uncertain.
"Where will B.C.'s economic growth come from is the question we're asking," said the report's co-author Ken Peacock, the business council's chief economist, in a statement. "We need a stronger private sector, but unfortunately, investment and hiring in B.C.'s private sector appear weak."
Peacock said the report called for swift action as Canada's trade relationships become more volatile, particularly with potential United States policies, which could include tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico.
Eby said the business council report was released on the day B.C. was making an announcement that would contribute greatly to the future of the province as an economic generator and a clean-power leader.
"I couldn't think of better timing for an announcement like today's with $5 billion to $6 billion of private sector clean energy investment in B.C.," he said on Monday. "Today's announcement is about delivering, making sure that these projects get shovels in the ground. That they get generating."
Eby said the New Democrat government will focus on faster project completions through shorter permit times.
He said the province plans to exempt the wind projects and future wind projects from a B.C. environmental assessment but will ensure First Nations interests and environmental protections are maintained.
Green Party, think tanks support announcement
The Pembina Institute, a green energy think tank, issued a statement supporting B.C.'s wind energy plans.
"This hugely positive response to this year's call for clean power helps position B.C. for economic success and community health in the decades to come," said Pembina's buildings program manager, Jessica McIlroy. "It shows the province is setting itself up to meet anticipated electricity demand growth while continuing to flourish in the low-carbon economy."
B.C.'s Greens called the wind energy plans a "good step" but said concerns about project oversight remain.
"We are pleased to see this issue being taken seriously, however the B.C. NDP's rush to catch up on clean energy initiatives highlights years of slow progress," said Green MLA Jeremy Valeriote in a statement.
Eby said B.C. is continuing to move toward renewable clean energy while other governments appear to be heading in other directions.
"We're seeing major jurisdictions move away from clean energy," he said. "Alberta, with new rules restricting wind energy, for example. South of the border, we'll see what decisions the new administration makes around clean energy."
With files from CBC News