Site C dam reservoir starts filling, dependence on imported electricity continues

Press Release

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 27, 2024 — BC Hydro has begun the process of filling the reservoir behind the almost complete Site C dam, a major milestone in the project’s development.

“Even if the Site C dam were fully operational today, BC Hydro would still be relying on imported electricity to meet the province’s current domestic energy needs,” noted Barry Penner, Chair of the Energy Futures Institute. “This underscores the significant challenges facing British Columbia’s energy infrastructure as it copes with increasing demands driven in part by energy policies.”

The provincial government has legislated that 90% of all new personal vehicle sales by the 2030 model year must be electric vehicles (EVs), rising to 100% by 2035. There is a $20,000 penalty per vehicle that exceeds the quota for non-EVs. A study authored by Jerome Gessaroli in April 2024 (Report: A Road Too Far)   revealed if all passenger vehicles on our roads were EVs, it would require roughly the same amount of electricity as two more Site C dams. At the same time, the CleanBC policy calls for effectively phasing-out natural gas as a source of home and commercial heating across the province starting in 2030 for new construction, creating additional demand for electricity.

“While the Site C dam is expected to generate 5,100 gigawatt hours of electricity in a normal water year after it becomes fully operational next year, this 8% addition to BC’s power supply is less than half of the amount of electricity imported by BC Hydro last year,” noted Penner. “Since then, electricity imports from the USA and Alberta have accelerated. The current drought highlights the downside of not diversifying sources of electricity, with more than 90% of British Columbia’s installed capacity dependent on adequate flows of water.”

Last month, the Energy Futures Institute released 10 recommendations for a provincial energy plan to ensure reliable, affordable energy to support BC’s continued economic growth and living standards: Report: Meeting B.C.’s Energy Needs. The report calls for an increase and diversification of made-in-BC electricity supply, and for reversing current plans to wind down existing power generation facilities. It also recommends tempering policies which add strain and costs to the energy system, such as the 90% electric vehicle mandate by 2030 and restricting the use of natural gas for new residential and commercial buildings.

Media Contact:
Aanush Shah
aanush@resourceworks.com
c. 587 578-9935

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