BC Hydro announced on Thursday (July 27) the results of the 2006 Open Call for Power, awarding 38 contracts to independent power producers around the province. The aim is to add more than 7,000 gigawatt hours per year to B.C.'s electricity output.
One of the companies awarded, Renewable Power Corp. of Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast, was granted a 40-year contract to develop a high capacity run-of-the-river electricity project at Tyson Creek in the Tzoonie Valley, some 24 miles to the north of Squamish. In keeping with the Call for Power, much of this new energy will be used locally and on the Sunshine Coast.
Energy should start generating in 2009-10, said Marc Soprovich, president of Renewable Power Corp. This is their second project, with McNair Creek project near the Langdale Ferry Terminal already supplying energy to Squamish for "part of the winter months".
"We expect Tyson Creek to deliver electricity 80 per cent of the time. The average is 50 per cent," said Soprovich. "We used our experience with McNair and we're very happy with the way that's gone.
"This is a case of utilizing the resource in a better way," he added. "Using less water to create more electricity and disturbing less of the environment. Most of the environmental assessment has been done and it has gotten a favourable review from the DFO.
"Everybody benefits. If we don't create it in Tyson, it'll come from Washington State, Alberta or elsewhere in the province. The only hurdle now, [after the awarding of the contract] is to get it built."
At a press conference in Vancouver to announce the deal, Richard Neufeld, B.C.'s minister of energy, said the provincial is committed to self-sufficiency in energy.
"I'm really excited about this, almost electrified," he said.
BC Hydro's president Bob Elton added: "Today's announcement is to recognize that we have partners in the process [of gathering energy]."
