bc hydro interview 5 / 21 / 01 sources have conducted the following " off - the - record " interview with a bc hydro executive .
executive summary
? bc hydro projected capacity
? bc hydro / liberal government ' s export policy
? bc hydro expanded capacity projects
bc hydro capacity
the individual stated that bc hydro is convinced it has sufficient capacity to supply british colombia through 2005 , even if faced with increasing demand from business expansion . he stated that bc hydro ' s long - term contracts to supply power to the grid in the western us amounted to only 1 % of bc hydro ' s capacity . therefore , the company likely would continue to be active in the spot market through powerex , the company ' s " main revenue generator . " for example , according to a company report , bc hydro benefited from a revenue increase of $ 2 . 876 billion canadian for the first 9 months of fiscal 2001 , largely due to spot market trading .
bc hydro exports
bc hydro feels the new liberal government likely will " make a concerted effort to expand capacity " in british colombia . likewise , since the liberal government will be " business - oriented , " the bc hydro official expects the government to promote increased exports of power to the us . however , the individual cautioned that there would likely be a public relations battle on this point , as " people don ' t necessarily favor increasing capacity to produce energy for export . " this is due to broad - based environmental opposition to building more plants . therefore , in the long - term bc hydro ' s new projects will favor " green alternatives " such as dam expansion and biomass , thermal and solar plants over gas - fired plants .
the spokesman stated that the liberal party intends to go forward with its campaign promise to remove bc hydro ' s monopoly on power . if and when this happens , relations between the company and the government are expected to " quickly sour . "
bc hydro capacity projects
bc hydro is pursuing a number of new projects to expand / improve generation capacity , including :
? seven - mile dam - - bc hydro will likely add a 213 mw turbine to the 3 units already in place
? revelstoke dam - - bc hydro is " looking very seriously " at adding a 500 mw unit to the 4 units already in place . there is also the potential to add a 5 th 500 mw unit , though this is not being considered at this time .
? site c dam - - a plan for a 960 mw dam was shelved in the 1980 s due to environmental concerns , but now appears to once again be a " viable option . " though bc hydro reportedly has no definite plans to pursue this option at this time , the individual said that constructing the dam would be more valuable now than it was in the 1980 s , and that resurrecting the plan would be a bc hydro decision .
? burrard thermal plant - bc hydro has invested $ 250 million to upgrade generation systems to reduce emissions .
calpine has bought a 240 mw gas - fired co - generation plant called campbell river on vancouver island . this plant is " in the final stages of testing and is already generating . " calpine plans to bring the plant online commercially " in the next few weeks . " bc hydro will buy power from the plant for use on vancouver island . this is part of a plan to make vancouver island self - sufficient in electricity . another " key plank " in this plan is the port alberni plant , a 250 mw , independently - owned plant that is being sold to bc hydro . the plant reportedly will be online in two years and will supply vancouver island .