Metro Vancouver will hold public consultations about potentially tapping the power generated by the water flowing from reservoirs in the Capilano and Seymour watersheds, it announced Tuesday.
One-third of the region’s tap water flows from the Coquitlam watershed, where BC Hydro’s Coquitlam Dam generates about 50 megawatts, or enough power for 16,000 homes, annually.
The other two-thirds spill over the Cleveland Dam in the Capilano watershed and the Seymour Dam in the Seymour watershed. Neither dam have power generation infrastructure.
Government officials could not be reached for comment about how much electricity could potentially be generated from the Capilano and Seymour watersheds. No information was provided about what the potential development costs could be.
BC Hydro completed a $65-milliion seismic upgrade of the Coquitlam dam in 2008.
Metro Vancouver said in a release that under the province’s water use planning guidelines, it is developing a joint water-use plan for the Capilano and Seymour watersheds that will guide how the reservoirs and dams are managed and how water is released from the reservoirs.
In addition to water supply considerations, some of the other potential factors affecting energy generation include fisheries, wildlife, the environment, recreation, heritage conservation, flood control and the net cost of water supply.
Metro Vancouver, which anticipates submitting a draft plan to the B.C. government in 2012, is inviting the public to a presentation and open house about the proposed Capilano and Seymour water-use plan on October 12 at the Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier near Lonsdale Quay in the City of North Vancouver.