Tag Archives: BC Hydro

Politics

Minister of Forests requests Nanaimo motion for a staff report be rescinded

By Hope Lompe,   Gabriola Sounder, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Ahead of the Nanaimo City council meeting on Dec. 15, B.C. Minister of Forests, Ravi Parmar, sent a letter to council requesting a motion for a staff report be rescinded. 

The window for the motion to be rescinded would have been at the next council meeting on Dec. 1, 10 days before the minister’s dated letter to council. 

“Is it typical? No, but it’s also not typical to see the actions of a councilor and council that have significant implications on British Columbia’s forest sector and on workers and their livelihoods,” said Parmar during a phone call with the Sounder. 

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Energy

BC Hydro’s Peak Savings Program and Beyond

A growing number of countries are experimenting with ways to integrate electric vehicle batteries and rooftop solar systems into their energy grids to enhance stability. While BC Hydro is conducting trials with EV batteries in the Lower Mainland, the utility’s current emphasis is on rewarding customers who reduce their energy consumption during evening peak periods. In today’s interview, Brandon Young, Director of Energy Efficiency and Innovation at BC Hydro, discusses the Peak Saver program and possible next steps for integrating residential customers into grid-stability initiatives.

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Transportation

Cortes EV Forum

On October 31st, the Cortes Climate Action Network (CCAN) hosted an EV forum at Manson’s Hall, attracting over a dozen people. The event began with a prepared presentation about the carbon/energy profile of EVs vs internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, followed by general Q&A in which local owners of EVs answered questions about their cars, usage patterns, and overall experience.

The last EV discussion and demo event to be held on Cortes was pre-Covid, on Earth Day in 2019. Since then the number of EVs on the island has grown considerably and many more brands and models are now available. E-bikes have become more common on our local roads than pedal-only bikes, and interest in “going electric” for our transportation needs seems to be growing.

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Energy, Politics

BC transmission line risks repeating Site C failures: critics

 Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 

The rush to develop BC’s $6-billion North Coast Transmission Line risks charging down the same troubled path of poor oversight and cost over-runs faced by the Site C dam, critics warn, pointing to a new report.

At the end of October, BC Hydro provided the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) with its Site C “lessons learned” report, which outlined why the Peace River project costs nearly doubled to $16 billion from the original $8.8 billion figure in 2014. 

The North Coast Transmission Line (NCTL), which will power natural gas operations, LNG export facilities, mining and the Prince Rupert port expansion, is the next big-ticket item tackled by BC Hydro. 

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Energy, Politics

Feds, BC are shifting LNG risks to public purse, report claims

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Ottawa and the British Columbia government are shifting financial risks of LNG companies onto the public purse while weakening commitment to the “polluter pays” principle, a new report suggests.

The federal and provincial governments are on track to provide almost $4 billion in support for fuel expansion of LNG exports on the West Coast, despite forecasts that global demand for the fossil fuel will peak well before most projects come online. 

Continue reading Feds, BC are shifting LNG risks to public purse, report claims →