Canada's Hydropower Boom

The October issue of Hydro Review magazine will examine the boom in hydropower construction across Canada, including the controversial Lower Churchill Project, a 3,074-MW project planned in Labrador.

The cover story will provide eye-opening details about some of Canada’s biggest construction projects.

The most impressive detail may be Canada’s hefty investment in building new hydropower capacity.

Consider this: Canadian utilities plan to spend more than C$50 billion (US$48.6 billion) on new hydropower projects in the next 10 to 15 years, adding more than 14,000 MW to Canada’s hydropower capacity.

“We can realistically more than double the amount of hydropower in Canada,” said Ed Wojczynski, chairman of the Canadian Hydropower Association and manager of project development for Manitoba Hydro.

But hydropower officials say unreasonable environmental rules are standing in the way of Canada’s grand plans to build more hydropower capacity. They say the biggest obstacle to hydropower development in Canada is the Federal Species at Risk Act.

“This act is so problematic for my company and other companies,” Wojczynski said. “Everybody agrees that it’s not workable and that it should be changed. From a regulatory point of view, that’s our No. 1 priority in Canada – to improve the Federal Species at Risk Act.”

A permit under the Canadian Species at Risk Act is required for construction activity that may affect listed species. The problem is the permit expires in three to five years, Wojczynski said.

“Most projects take longer than three to five years to construct,” he said. “You’re not even finished with construction and you have to apply for a new permit.”

The Canadian act is “unworkable” and not as flexible as the U.S. Endangered Species Act, Wojczynski said.

“If you’re not affecting a listed species, then it’s not a problem,” he said. “But more and more species are being listed. There are hundreds of them that are in the process of being listed, so it will become more of a problem in the future.”

For more hydropower news and information and to see the latest issue of Hydro Review magazine, go to www.hydroworld.com.

Russell Ray is Senior Editor of Hydro Review magazine and Conference Committee Chairman of HydroVision International. Russell has 12 years experience as an energy journalist, covering the oil and gas industry in Oklahoma and the growth of solar and nuclear power in Florida. He served eight years as the energy reporter for the Tulsa World. He held the same position at the Tampa Tribune for two and a half years before joining Hydro Review in 2009.