BC Hydro has added a new solar-energy project near Logan Lake to the clean-energy projects that were already selected to move ahead after its call for clean power in April 2024.
On Dec. 9, 2024 the province announced that the Highland Valley Wind Project between Logan Lake and Ashcroft was one of nine wind-energy projects that will supply renewable, affordable electricity to communities throughout B.C.
While BC Hydro was preparing the public disclosure of the successful projects, one of the projects voluntarily withdrew and was not included in the announcement. BC Hydro has now offered a 30-year electricity-purchase agreement to the next-highest evaluated project, in order to maximize the power generation available through this call for power.
The newly added project is the ShTSaQU Solar Project near Logan Lake, which will provide 104 megawatts of capacity. The independent power producer partner is BluEarth Renewables Inc., and the First Nation partner is the Oregon Jack Creek Band.
In order to expedite them, the nine wind projects will not be subject to an environmental assessment. However, the province has said that solar projects with a capacity equal to, or more than, 50 megawatts require an assessment by the BC Environmental Assessment Office.
Collectively, these 10 clean and renewable projects will generate approximately 5,000 gigawatt hours of electricity annually, enough to power half-a-million new homes, and will increase BC Hydro's current supply by eight per cent. The development and construction of the projects — which are spread across nearly every region in the province — are expected to generate between $5 billion and $6 billion in private capital investment.
BC Hydro engaged extensively with First Nations on the design of the call for power, and included a requirement that projects must have a minimum 25 per cent equity ownership held by First Nations. Eight of the 10 successful energy projects will have 51 per cent First Nations equity, which represents $2.5 billion to $3 billion of ownership by First Nations in new renewable energy projects in the province.
Established in 2010, BluEarth Renewables has clean energy projects in four Canadian provinces and nine U.S. states. In partnership with the Nlaka’pamux Nation Tribal Council, BluEarth operates the quA-ymn Solar Project, which is located on reclaimed land at the Teck Highland Valley mine site near Logan Lake and has a 15 megawatt capacity.
The Highland Valley Wind Project is a partnership between Capstone Infrastructure and the Ashcroft Indian Band. The project size (in megawatts) is 197. Capstone is also partnering with the Lower Nicola Indian Band on the Mount Mabel Wind Project, which will have a project size of 143 MW and be located east of Highway 5 between Merritt and Lac Le Jeune.
