BC Hydro Gets Good Green Power Response

BC Hydro received 70 green power project submissions from independent power producers (IPPs) in response to its 2002/03 Green Power Generation (GPG) Request for Qualifications process.

Launched on October 30, 2002, this first stage of the 2002/03 GPG required interested IPPs to submit initial information on their proposed projects by December 16.

"We are delighted with the large number of responses received," said BC HydroÂ’s Senior Vice-President, Distribution, Bev Van Ruyven. "It clearly demonstrates the readiness of private sector developers to invest in the development of new, clean energy generation in our province."

BC Hydro plans to acquire up to 800 gigawatt-hours of green electricity through the 2002/03 GPG. The submissions received represent a combined potential capacity of approximately 1,000 MW, with a potential annual output of about 5,500 gigawatt-hours per year. (One GWh is the amount of electricity consumed by roughly 100 B.C. homes each year.) While more than two-thirds of the proposals are for hydroelectric projects, proposals were also received for projects involving biogas, biomass, wind, ocean wave and other energy sources.

The submissions are currently being reviewed and short-listed by a multi-disciplinary team. To be eligible to proceed in the GPG process, the proposed project must meet a number of requirements and be evaluated against certain criteria. These criteria range from the likelihood of the project meeting technology-specific criteria for social responsibility and low environmental impact, to the ability of the project team to obtain financing and have the project built and operational by September 30, 2006. All projects must be located in British Columbia.

Short-listing will be completed by March 2003. Successful proponents will be invited to proceed to the next step, the 2002/03 GPG Call for Tenders process, which includes the submission of a priced bid. Bids will be evaluated and ranked, and successful bidders offered an electricity purchase agreement by Fall 2003. Permitting, financing and project design and construction are the sole responsibility of the IPP. Full details of the 2002/03 GPG process can be found at www.bchydro.com/greenipp.

"Clean electricity is an important part of BC HydroÂ’s sustainable resource acquisition strategy," added Van Ruyven. "The green electricity we acquire through the 2002/03 GPG will play an important role in helping BC Hydro meet the voluntary goal recently set by the provincial government that 50% of new supply come from clean energy sources."