The province’s plan to build a $7.9 billion hydroelectric dam on the Peace River could have a direct impact on the independent power sector in B.C.
Speaking to Business in Vancouver regarding the so-called Site C dam, BC Hydro’s Mike Savidant said the dam could potentially reduce the need for new independent power projects.
“When you’re building Site C you’re not building other things, which are, potentially, independent power producers,” Savidant said.
He added, however, that no one project could meet the utility’s electricity demand forecasts over the next 20 years, meaning that private power projects would still be needed, albeit possibly at a reduced level.
But Paul Kariya, executive director of Clean Energy Association of BC, which represents private power producers, said he’s not concerned about the impact the dam could have on his sector.
“I see it as complementary,” said Kariya. “Site C is going to be more about capacity and much of our energy is intermittent, so if we can work together they should be complementary.”
Check out this week’s edition of BIV for more about Site C, and the suspect numbers the provincial government is using to justify the project.
Joel McKay
Twitter:jmckaybiv