Vancouver, BC: Following a dramatic turn of events in which the British Columbia government reacted to a major decision by B.C.’s utilities regulator by clarifying key policies in its 2007 Energy Plan, independent power producers are saying that the government did the right thing: “B.C. Energy Minister Blair Lekstrom’s reaffirmation of the government’s commitment to more clean, renewable energy in his response to a B.C. Utilities Commission (BCUC) decision on BC Hydro’s Long Term Acquisition Plan (LTAP) is welcomed by BC’s clean energy producers along with other environmental and industry organizations.”
The BCUC had earlier rejected the LTAP as being deficient in several respects. The decision included the opinion that the gas-fired Burrard Thermal Plant in Metro Vancouver should be used to produce more energy than was planned by BC Hydro – an amount that would have significantly reduced the need for renewable power developments while making the plant the largest producer of greenhouse gases in the province, according to IPPBC, the Independent Power Producers Association of BC.
In several media interviews, Minister Lekstrom said retaining Burrard Thermal as a long term generator is simply “not in the cards” and pointed to his government’s 2007 Energy Plan and its goal of achieving electricity self-sufficiency for B.C. by 2016 through the development of new, renewable energy projects. The Energy Plan also calls for Burrard Thermal to be downgraded by 2014. These policies tend to support the government’s 2008 Climate Action Plan, which targets a 33% reduction in GHGs by 2020.
“If there was any concern about the Government’s commitment to the renewable energy sector arising from the BCUC decision, the Minister’s comments have allayed those concerns,” said Steve Davis, President of the Independent Power Producers Association of BC (IPPBC). We are also pleased with BC Hydro President Bob Elton’s comment that “We have no intention of running Burrard more than we did before.” Last year Burrard produced 300 GWh, about 5% of the amount suggested by the BCUC decision.
IPPBC was joined by the BC Sustainable Energy Association, the Ocean Renewable Energy Group, PowerUP Canada and others in opposing any expansion of the output levels at Burrard Thermal.
“As environmental groups are pointing out, renewable power projects are part of the new clean energy economy and a major contributor to society’s response to the threat of climate change,” Davis said.
“This transition to clean energy is happening the world over but will not happen here if BC is forced to move off of its progressive plan to replace old, highly polluting fossil-fueled facilities such as Burrard Thermal. BC has the ability to be a leader in battling climate change but to hesitate now will signal an exodus of capital, technology and expertise that would have provided hundreds of millions of dollars in construction spending, tax revenues and benefits to all BC but particularly in rural areas where economic development is greatly needed,” Davis concluded.