B.C. grants approval to $420-million B.C. hydro project

A 121-MW run-of-river hydro-electric project northwest of Pemberton, British Columbia, has been granted an Environmental Assessment Certificate by the province.

The project is located on Crown Land in the headwaters of the Lillooet River within the Pacific Range of B.C.’s Coast Mountains.

There are three components to the development: one plant on the Upper Lillooet River (74 MW), another on Boulder Creek (23 MW), and a third at North Creek (16 MW).

Approximately 72 kilometres of 230 kV transmission line will also be constructed to transmit the electricity to the B.C. Hydro grid near Rutherford Creek.

The ULHP project is being developed by Creek Power Inc., a joint venture between Innergex (66.6%) and Ledcor Power Group (33.33%). They have a 40-year power purchase agreement with BC Hydro.

Construction of the project is estimated to cost $420 million and will require a temporary construction camp, laydown and storage areas. 

Scores of consultants were involved in the environmental assessment application process:  Knight Piesold did preliminary engineering design, hydrology, geotechincial work, seismic and other work. Detmold Consulting did the preliminary design of the transmission line. Hedberg & Associates designed the routing for access roads, penstocks and the transmission line among other things. SNC-Lavalin coordinated the EA Application and did senior review, and Ventus Development did senior review of the Environmental Assessment methodology.

B.C.’s Environment Minister issued the EA Certificate with 37 conditions. These include the requirement to maintain a minimum in-stream flow requirement for the river diversion reaches, to prepare and adhere to comprehensive environmental protection plans, to monitor temperature and ice conditions for the life of the project, to undertake construction outside of sensitive periods for wildlife species, and to contribute to the regional grizzly bear monitoring program.

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