Today (Tuesday) at the BC Natural Resources Forum, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions Adrian Dix, along with BC Hydro and Ksi Lisims LNG, signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) confirming interconnection steps for supply of 600 megawatts of clean electricity to the proposed LNG facility in Kitimat from the North Coast Transmission Line.
The North Coast Transmission Line will run 450 kilometres from Prince George to Terrace, more than doubling the electricity capacity in the region.
Dix said that wealth of power would be spread around, helping unlock more projects around the North.
“We have more than a dozen mining projects that are important, there’s projects at the port, there’s general residential service, which can improve, of course, throughout the region which is critically important,” he said.
“I think the economic and industrial activity in the North West is going to be breathtaking, and I think this is a moment, that’s why the North Coast Transmission Line is so important, so of course it’s not just for LNG.”
At last year’s Forum, Dix said they needed to act with urgency.
“We’ve seen this on LNG projects, the actions that we’ve taken specifically,” he said today.
“With Cedar LNG, the support for electrification in that case, the work we’ve done with Ksi Lisims LNG, and the regulations and the changes have been made that this MOU reflects today, the work that we’re continuing to do with LNG Canada, the work we’re doing with wood fibre LNG, BC Hydro’s building their transmission line, which wasn’t the case last year.”
Dix said the North Coast Transmission Line is necessary for the development of the entire region.
“All of the above is enhanced by the building of the North Coast Transmission Line, which is really visionary for the North,” he said.
Dix said it would be up for the proponents of projects to get to final investment decision.
“Our job is to work through issues so that their decision is properly a business decision that can go forward,” he said.
“That’s true of the mining projects, which are moving along the line, so these are absolutely necessary steps for BC Hydro to be what it has been in the past, which is a leader in promoting economic development in our province.”
Dix said there would be another call for power coming as well.
“We’ll be talking about this later this week, he said.
“We’ll talk about the number of proposals we’ve received across, in particular the North, which drive economic, these are breathtaking projects in renewable electricity.”
According to the province, the next major steps for the transmission project will include the awarding the clearing and access contract for Phase 1, obtaining the required permits and regulatory approvals, and a final investment decision by BC Hydro’s board of directors.
Construction is expected to start this summer.
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