8.39°C Vancouver

Apr 4, 2024 4:48 PM - The Canadian Press

BC Hydro wants more clean power to help meet demand, clean energy targets

Share On
bc-hydro-wants-more-clean-power-to-help-meet-demand-clean-energy-targets
The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation says the Crown power utility has issued its first call in 15 years and is looking to acquire about 3,000 gigawatt hours per year.(Photo:Twiter/Josie Osborne)

BC Hydro is looking for more clean power to add to its grids as electricity demands are expected to increase by 15 per cent in the next six years.

The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation says the Crown power utility has issued its first call in 15 years and is looking to acquire about 3,000 gigawatt hours per year.

The ministry says in a statement that it would add about five per cent to its current supply, which would provide clean electricity to 270,000 homes or about a million electric vehicles per year.

The added need is due to population growth, housing construction, industrial development and more homes and businesses switching from fossil fuels to clean electricity, the government says.

The ministry says this will be the first in a "series of calls for power" from BC Hydro as it works to meet the province's climate targets, with future requests expected to come every two years.

Energy Minister Josie Osborne says in the statement that climate disasters have become commonplace in B.C. and the switch from fossil fuels to clean power has "never felt more urgent."

"That's why we are working in collaboration with BC Hydro, First Nations and the independent power industry to generate more of the electricity that B.C. needs to build a clean economy and power our future," she says.

The province says the development and construction of new clean-energy projects will generate an estimated $2.3 to $3.6 billion in private capital spending throughout the province and create up to 1,500 jobs each year.

BC Hydro's massive Site C dam project is expected to start generating power this year after construction started 2015.

Latest news

search-underway-for-b-c-woman-missing-after-empty-boat-washes-ashore
BCMay 16, 2025

Search underway for B.C. woman missing after empty boat washes ashore

Police in Nanaimo, B.C., say a search is underway both at sea and on land after a woman's sailboat was discovered washed ashore and empty. Mounties say 34 year old Amber Nitchman is the registered owner of the 10-metre white sailboat that was found Thursday near Bayshore Drive and Hammond Bay Road off Nanaimo.No one was on the boat, and Nanaimo Search and Rescue, the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Center, the coast guard and Nanaimo RCMP have taken part in a ground and water search for the woman.Police are asking that anyone with information on the case contact investigators immediately.The RCMP h
vaisakhi-nagar-kirtan-to-be-held-tomorrow-in-prince-george
BCMay 16, 2025

Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan to be held tomorrow in Prince George

The vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan is being held tomorrow in Prince George, the city's RCMP said in a statement that they are also very excited to participate in this year's annual Sikh vaisakhi parade. Constable Praban Basra said that our relationship with the Sikh community is strong and very important. He said that many of our police officers belong to this community. He said that 7 officers from the Prince George RCMP will participate in this Nagar Kirtan dedicated to vaisakhi. At the same time, the organizers have expressed the hope that hundreds of people from northern BC will join the Nagar
porter-airlines-launches-new-direct-flight-between-ottawa-and-victoria
BCMay 16, 2025

Porter Airlines launches new direct flight between Ottawa and Victoria

B.C.’s capital city of Victoria is now offering direct flights to Ottawa. Porter Airlines has launched a new non-stop flight between Victoria International Airport and Ottawa International Airport. The airline said the flight will depart Victoria at 11:50 a.m. The flight will initially operate four times a week, but the airline plans to operate the flight daily during the peak summer season, which begins June 16. Porter is using a 132-seater aircraft for these flights. Porter’s flight from Ottawa yesterday carried 130 passengers, according to Elizabeth Brown, president and CEO of the Vic
ransom-demanded-from-murdered-harjit-singh-dhadda-family-reveals
CanadaMay 16, 2025

Ransom demanded from murdered Harjit Singh Dhadda, family reveals

Ransom was demanded from Punjabi businessman Harjit Singh Dhadda, who was shot dead in broad daylight in Mississauga on Wednesday. This has been revealed by his family. His daughter Gurleen Dhadda said that a ransom of $500,000 was demanded from her father but he refused. Gurleen said that her father said that he would not give a single penny. At the same time, Peel police did not confirm this claim but the victim's family says that they had reported the threats to the police and the police did not take it seriously. Gurleen said that my father was shot dead in broad daylight because our g
canada-post-report-recommends-phasing-out-daily-door-to-door-mail-delivery
CanadaMay 16, 2025

Canada Post report recommends phasing out daily door-to-door mail delivery

The Industrial Inquiry Commission report on the labour dispute at Canada Post recommends phasing out daily door-to-door letter mail delivery for individual addresses, while daily delivery to businesses should be maintained. It also says the moratoriums on rural post office closures and community mailbox conversions should be lifted.

Related News