Local project a preferred proponent in BC Hydro’s call for bio energy
BC Hydro is moving to the next stage of its bio energy phase two call for power.
A partnership between Pristine Power Inc. and local First Nations groups has recently been chosen as one of eight preferred proponents to move on to the next stage in the process.
The Lakes District Native Economic Development Corporation, consisting of the Burns Lake Band, Nee Tahi Buhn Band, Skin Tyee Band and the Cheslatta Carrier Nation, together with Calgary based company Pristine Power Inc. have now moved forward in the process of potentially developing a 20 megawatt bio energy project in the local area.
The project, which is to be named 'Ditni Yoh Green Energy' which is proposed to be located just outside of Burns Lake, close to the Pinnacle Pellet development site and Hampton's Babine Forest Products.
At a recent public forestry meeting Burns Lake Band Chief Albert Gerow announced that he was expecting the project would accepted and placed on BC Hydro's shortlist as a preferred proponent.
"The project will be a $135 million plant, driven by a $12 billion company [Pristine Power Inc.]," Chief Gerow said.
He went on to say that millions of dollars will be spent in Burns Lake during the construction phase if the project is given the green light.
Chief Gerow's public announcement came just one day before the official announcement from BC Hydro last week.
The official announcement listed the Ditni Yoh Green Energy project chosen as a preferred proponent, along with seven others to move ahead in the application process for the phase two call.
BC Hydro's phase two target is to acquire up to 1,000 giga watt hours of cost effective electricity.
The eight short listed bio energy projects will represent a total of 1,630 giga watt hours of energy per year, are now set to proceed to the next phase of the request for proposals.
The selected projects are all proposing to use biomass from a number of sources, including sawmill and manufacturing residuals, roadside debris, logging slash, sort yard debris, and biomass derived from standing timber to derive power.
In 2008, Pristine Power Inc. and its First Nations partners took the first steps toward launching plans to build a bio energy project in the Burns Lake area by making a bid to win B.C. Hydro’s phase one call for bio energy with the Ditni Yoh Green Energy project.
A total of 20 applications were submitted during the phase one call, however the Ditni Yoh Green Energy project was not short listed at this time.
Then in October 2010, when BC Hydro released the second phase call the Ditni Yoh Green Energy project was again submitted, this time successful in its bid to be short listed.
"We are very excited by the announcement, this project will potentially bring many benefits to Burns Lake," said Chief Gerow to Lakes District News after the official announcement was made by BC Hydro.
He went on to say that he was unable to comment any further on the announcement saying that the partners, including Pristine Power Inc. preferred to wait until after all the final negotiations with BC Hydro are completed before making any official public announcement.
BC Hydro received proposals for 13 projects from 10 proponents for the bio energy phase two call
The eight short listed projects are; Ditni Yoh Green Energy in Burns Lake, Campbell River Power Enterprises in Campbell River, Northwood Green Power Generation Project in Prince George, Interfor Grand Forks in Grand Forks, Chetwynd Forest Industries Biomass Project in Chetwynd, Fraser Lake Sawmill Biomass Project in Fraser Lake, Fort Green Energy in Fort St. James and Merritt Green Energy in Merritt.
Monique Stevenson from BC Hydro's energy procurement department said that being selected as a preferred proponent for the phase two call means that the Ditni Yoh project and the seven other preferred proponents will now continue on to the next stage of the call, which is the negotiation phase.
"These projects are still under consideration by BC Hydro but there is no assurance that this will result in the award of an electricity purchase agreement," she said.
The expected time line for the award of electricity purchase agreements and completion of the request for proposal process is April 2011.
For more information about the BC Hydro phase two call go to www.bchydro.com/planning_regulatory/acquiring_power/bioenergy_call_for_power/2009.