4 projects selected in Bioenergy Call for Power
BC Hydro announces successful proposals in phase one of Bioenergy Call for Power
News Release
BC Hydro
December 8, 2008
VANCOUVER – BC Hydro has selected four proposals submitted in phase one of BC Hydro's Bioenergy Call for Power.
"Bioenergy provides clean and reliable electricity year-round, so this is another step on the road to achieving electricity self-sufficiency by 2016," said Richard Neufeld, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.
"These projects are a tremendous opportunity to create new jobs and diversify the forest economy for B.C. communities through better utilization of the wood waste resource," said Pat Bell, Minister of Forests and Range.
These bioenergy facilities will use forest-based biomass, including sawmill residue, logging debris, trees killed by mountain pine beetle, and other residual wood, to generate electricity. The four projects will generate a combined total of 579 gigawatt hours of electricity annually, or enough to power more than 52,000 homes.
The selected proposals were submitted as part of a competitive process and are from Canfor Pulp Ltd. Partnership's PGP Bio Energy Project in Prince George, PG Interior Waste to Energy Ltd.'s proposal also in Prince George, Domtar Pulp and Paper Products' Kamloops Green Energy Project in Kamloops, and Zellstoff Celgar Ltd. Partnership’s Celgar Green Energy Project in Castlegar.
"BC Hydro is pleased that industries are taking the initiative to provide an innovative source of made-in-B.C. electricity, utilizing a carbon-neutral fuel," said Bev Van Ruyven, BC Hydro Executive Vice President, Customer Care and Conservation.
Once signed by the selected proponents and BC Hydro, the electricity purchase agreements will be submitted to the British Columbia Utilities Commission.
BC Hydro, the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources and the Ministry of Forests and Range continue to work together on plans to develop phase two of the Bioenergy Call.
Contact:
Dag Sharman
Media Relations
Phone: (604) 623-4022