Community Relations News
September 24, 2009
Lake Country positive power
LAKE COUNTRY – Excitement was in the air with the inauguration of the Lake Country Hydroelectric Generating Station on June 25. Whether called a PPP: Positive Power Project or a CPP: Community Power Project, (courtesy of Lake Country Councillor Noreen Guenther) the official unveiling of the Lake Country Hydroelectric Generating Station reflected the positive spirit, energy and innovation of this great Okanagan community and its leaders.
James Baker, Mayor of Lake Country, and Norm Letnick, the MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country - both shown in the photo above - helped inaugurate the Lake Country micro-hydro project.
Lake Country’s Eldorado Reservoir was originally awarded an electricity purchase agreement in the 2006 Open Call for Power by BC Hydro.
Although there are other projects done in partnership with local governments, this 1.1 megawatt micro-hydro project is only the second using the municipal water reservoir, and the first where the municipality is the seller of the electricity to BC Hydro. The District of West Vancouver has a similar project.
The excitement was not only generated by the thought of green energy but also by thoughts of green dividends. The new project will provide a financial dividend to local taxpayers thanks to a long-term contract with BC Hydro. Lake Country will sell the anticipated 3,900 megawatt-hours per year (enough renewable energy to supply 400 homes per year) to BC Hydro, supporting its goal to achieve electricity self-sufficiency in B.C. by 2016.
The project was made possible by a nearly $2.8-million investment from the Government of Canada through the Gas Tax Fund and the ecoENERGY for Renewable Power initiative, and a $500,000 low-interest loan and $30,000 grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' Green Municipal Fund, which is funded by an endowment from the Government of Canada.
A unique aspect of this project is that existing water infrastructure is utilized to generate power. The District of Lake Country will produce emission-free renewable energy from existing waterworks currently supplying water to the community. In this way, Lake Country can help to reduce the collective carbon footprint while minimizing environmental impact and generating revenue for the district.
Mayor Baker thanked the teams of BC Hydro and British Columbia Transmission Corporation (BCTC) for the successful completion of this interconnection project on time and budget. Taking advantage of the peak water use season by going into operation on June 3, the dollars started flowing in with the water flowing through.
Lake Country Hydroelectric Generating Station is a great example of the potential for communities to create renewable energy from everyday operations.
For further information on the Government of Canada’s infrastructure investments in British Columbia visit www.creatingjobs.gc.ca. To learn more about Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca. For information on FCM’s Green Municipal Fund, visit www.fcm.ca/gmf.
Last Modified: Mar 25, 2010