BC Hydro has announced it will purchase the Island Generation facility in Campbell River, signalling a significant investment toward supporting reliability for Vancouver Island and growing demand for electricity throughout the province.
The utility says the acquisition will ensure a cost-effective, strategically located asset that can help with meeting peak demand amid population growth, electrification and economic development prompting growing needs for electricity.
Through the last five years, the natural gas-fired facility has operated an average of 15 days per year when needed for reliability. Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions Adrian Dix said it will continue to function in that role as the utility expands its portfolio of resources to meet growing demand.
Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions Adrian Dix comments:
“We need to build as our population grows significantly,” said Dix at an event at the facility Wednesday. “We need to build on our distribution of electricity to the system of hundreds of thousands of new homes in our system.”
Photo: Wylie Henderson
BC Hydro’s Senior Vice-President, Integrated Planning AJ Kumar said growing the utility’s capacity is key in ensuring they can meet Vancouver Island’s growing demand for electricity.
BC Hydro Senior Vice-President, Integrated Planning AJ Kumar comments:
“By acquiring this asset, we will have long term access to a capacity resource that is absolutely required for the resiliency and the reliability of serving our customers on Vancouver Island.”
Campbell River mayor Kermit Dahl says the investment provides secure energy and job security for the local workforce.
Campbell River mayor Kermit Dahl comments:
“Today’s announcement sends a positive signal,” Dahl said. “It says our communities matter, it says Vancouver Island energy securities matter, and it says the future of industrial jobs in investment and resource communities still matter.”
BC Hydro said the acquisition of Island Generation will compliment its Powering Growth strategy while it continues to invest in conservation, hydroelectric upgrades, new renewable generation, battery storage and transmission infrastructure.
The announcement of the purchase comes just weeks after the utility announced it will build B.C.’s first grid-scale battery storage facility near Duncan.
The B.C. government said the acquisition of Island Generation will carry several benefits for Vancouver Island residents including increased capacity to support BC Hydro’s grid during peak demand, supporting economic growth and reliable service.
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