BC Hydro took proposals Nov. 25 from independent power projects to provide up to 5,000 gigawatt-hours annually of clean or renewable energy. Although BC Hydro did not list responses immediately, five hydro developers announced offers totaling 1,624 MW.
Dozens of hydropower projects were on the list of developers that registered to bid in the utility’s long-awaited Clean Power Call. (HNN 6/13/08) A BC Hydro spokesman said a list of actual proposals would not be available until the first week of December. A cut telephone cable in Vancouver shut down telephone service in BC Hydro’s offices. (HNN 11/27/08)
Plutonic submits 1,193-MW Upper Toba, Bute Inlet projects
Developer Plutonic Power Corp. and GE Energy Financial Services announced they submitted two bids to BC Hydro offering nearly 1,200 MW of hydropower from projects costing more than C$4 billion (US$3.25 billion).
Plutonic said the 20 hydro plant sites in the Upper Toba Valley and at Bute Inlet, near towns of Powell River and Campbell River along British Columbia’s southwestern coast, represent the largest single private sector investment in hydropower generation in Canada. The companies announced in August the signing of a memorandum of understanding to partner on the projects, at that time listed as 21 plants totaling 1,034 MW. (HNN 8/15/08)
The Upper Toba Valley project is a series of three sites with a capacity of 166 MW. In August the plants were identified as 30-MW Dalgleish Creek, 50-MW Jimmie Creek, and 40-MW Upper Toba River, totaling 120 MW. Revised capacities were not immediately available.
The Bute Inlet project includes 17 sites with a capacity of 1,027 MW, Plutonic said. In August, Plutonic said there were 18 powerhouses totaling 914 MW: 27-MW Coola Creek, 58-MW Scar Creek, 68-MW Whitemantle Creek, 81-MW Brew Creek, 96-MW Jewakwa River, 47-MW Heakamie River, 28-MW Gargoyle Creek, 56-MW Elliot Creek, 34-MW Elliot Neighbour Creek, 56-MW Icewall Creek, 39-MW Raleigh Creek, 131-MW Southgate River 1, 38-MW Southgate River 2, 39-MW Southgate River 3, 35-MW East Orford River, 22-MW North Orford River, 21-MW Algard Creek, and 38-MW Bear Creek. (HNN 4/23/08) Plutonic did not immediately explain the change in the number of plants and the total capacity.
The Bute Inlet project is north of Toba Valley, where Plutonic and GE Energy Financial already are partnering on the C$660 million (US$620.4 million) 123-MW East Toba River and 73-MW Montrose Creek project. (HNN 11/7/08) Power from East Toba-Montrose already is committed to sale to BC Hydro under a 35-year contract.
Plutonic said the Upper Toba Valley project is expected to be permitted by the end of second quarter 2009. It is to be able to take advantage of infrastructure already in place in the Toba Valley for East Toba-Montrose. The Bute Inlet project has been registered with provincial and federal permitting authorities. A formal application for an environmental assessment certificate is expected to be submitted in late 2009.
Innergex submits five hydro projects totaling 196 MW
Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. announced it submitted a proposal to BC Hydro for five hydropower projects totaling 196 MW on British Columbia’s Lower Mainland.
The run-of-river projects were identified as Hurley River (previously Creek), Upper Lillooet River (previously Creek), Gun Creek, Boulder Creek, and North Creek.
Innergex said the projects were among 18 hydro projects of more than 200 MW in which Innergex acquired a two-thirds interest from Ledcor Power Group Ltd., which owns the remainder of the joint venture. (HNN 9/3/08) Innergex paid C$8 million (US$7.5 million) cash for the acquisition in September. It also issued 200,000 warrants to Ledcor that can be exercised for a period of 24 months at a price of C$12.50 (US$11.71) per share.
At the time of the acquisition, Innergex President Michel Letellier said at least two of the projects, Hurley and Upper Lillooet, totaling 70 MW, would be offered in response to BC Hydro’s Clean Power Call.
Run of River submits two projects, nine plants, totaling 190 MW
Run of River Power Inc. announced it submitted two proposals to BC Hydro, one for the 155-MW Upper Pitt River project and one for two of the three plants in its Mamquam project totaling 35 MW.
Upper Pitt River includes seven low-impact run-of-river hydro plants on eight tributaries of the Upper Pitt River, at the north end of Pitt Lake, 35 kilometers from Pitt Meadows, B.C. Run of River Power said in October its subsidiary, Northwest Cascade Power Ltd., could submit an application for environmental review of Upper Pitt River in spring 2009. (HNN 10/22/08)
Earlier this year, the British Columbia environment minister rejected a proposal that would have adjusted park boundaries to accommodate transmission lines for the project. In response, Run of River said November 27 that it submitted a feasibility interconnection study application that incorporates an alternate transmission route.
As with several of the proposed projects, total capacity and individual plant capacities of Upper Pitt River have varied. Earlier this year, the proposed Upper Pitt plants were identified as 38-MW Bucklin; 16-MW Steve; 29-MW Pinecone; 15-MW Homer; 30-MW Boise; 16-MW Shale; 20-MW Corbold; and 16-MW East Corbold. Corbold and East Corbold would share a powerhouse.
Run of River said it also submitted two of the three plants in its 42-MW Mamquam project on the Mamquam River near Squamish, B.C. It said the two plants, which it did not identify, total 35 MW and are interconnected close to each other.
The developer said it continues feasibility and permitting work on the projects. Run of River’s Internet site identifies the three Mamquam plants as 7-MW Crawford Creek, 9.9-MW Raffuse Creek, and 16-MW Skookum Creek.
Sea Breeze submits 25-MW Cascade Heritage
Sea Breeze Power Corp. said its Powerhouse Developments Inc. subsidiary submitted a proposal to supply power from its 25-MW Cascade Heritage Power run-of-river project proposed for the Kettle River.
The powerhouse is to be built two kilometers south of Cristina Lake, at the site of an abandoned hydroelectric project at Cascade Falls. (HNN 11/19/07) A conditional water license for the project was upheld in 2007. Sea Breeze said it plans to begin construction in 2009.
Swift Power submits 20-MW Dasque Cluster
Swift Power Corp. announced it submitted a proposal to supply up to 20 MW from the Dasque Cluster hydropower project. The run-of-river hydropower cluster is located on two adjacent creeks, Dasque Creek and Middle Creek, near Terrace, B.C.
Swift Power said its proposal provides details of pricing, risk assessment, delivery dates, transmission routing, and interconnection options. The developer said it integrated environmental, community, and traditional values into its engineering design, adding its community and First Nations consultations revealed broad support for its approach.
The Clean Power Call targets clean energy from large projects using proven technologies such as hydropower, wind, solar, and geothermal energy, among others. The Clean Power Call will accommodate larger projects with extended in-service dates before 2017, BC Hydro said.
BC Hydro said it intends to complete final evaluations and award electricity purchase agreements in mid-April through June 2009.
The Clean Power Call complements BC Hydro’s Standing Offer Program, which invites clean or renewable power projects up to 10 MW, including hydropower, to sell to BC Hydro at a fixed price with standard contract terms and conditions. (HNN 6/9/08)
