|
As step one in BC Hydro and BC Transmission Corporation's discussion with First Nations, one-day workshops were held in Surrey, Campbell River, Nanaimo, Abbotsford, Cranbrook, Kamloops, Fort St. John, Prince George and Prince Rupert. These sessions provided a forum for open discussion and sought to build a foundation for future dialogue with First Nations. The objective of the workshops was to provide information to First Nations on the scope and procedure of the Long-Term Electricity Transmission Inquiry and to explain the roles of BC Hydro and BC Transmission Corporation in planning for the province's long-term electricity generation and transmission requirements. Each workshop began with welcome and introductory remarks by the facilitator Mr. Dan George of Four Directions Management Ltd. Mr. George reviewed the agenda and provided an overview of the meeting ground rules. Mr. George explained that his role was to keep discussions on topic and to make sure input was recorded accurately. Mr. George asked participants to: - Listen generously to one another
- Build on the ideas of others and challenge ideas rather than people
- Look for solutions
Mr. George also asked that participants capitalize on each other's experience and knowledge and that they unpack assumptions, suspend judgment and disbelief, and set aside biases. He requested the participants provide their views as the process is only as strong as the input they provide. The facilitator used the analogy that for this round of workshops we are in a helicopter looking at the big picture but with a view of the balcony and the beach. In October we will be on the balcony and in January – February we will be on the beach. If we are planning at the helicopter and balcony it has direct impacts for those on the beach. The introduction was followed by four presentations: | Presentation | Description | Documents |
|---|
Overview of the
Long-Term Electricity Transmission Inquiry | The First Nation Consultation Project Manager, Ms. Suromitra Sanatani, provided the group with an overview of the Long-Term Electricity Transmission Inquiry. She explained the role of the BC Utilities Commission and the provincial government in the Inquiry, and outlined BC Hydro and BC Transmission Corporation's proposed approach to First Nation Consultation. | Presentation [PDF, 202 Kb] | Overview of BC Transmission Corporation | The presenter from BC Transmission Corporation, Ms. Jane Newlands, provided the group with an overview of BC Transmission Corporation and outlined their approach to transmission planning. She explained the role of the BC Transmission Corporation in electricity transmission planning and the nature of their submissions to the BC Utilities Commission. BC Transmission Corporation is responsible for planning, operating, and maintaining the BC Hydro transmission system, and constructing new transmission facilities when needed. The transmission system moves large volumes of electricity around the province from where it is produced (or generated) to where it is needed to meet demand for electricity. BC Transmission Corporation was formed in 2003. | Presentation [PDF, 569 Kb] | Overview of BC Hydro | The presenter from the BC Hydro Energy Planning department provided the group with an overview of the Crown corporation. The presenter also explained the role of the BC Hydro in electricity generation and transmission planning and the nature of their submissions to the BC Utilities Commission. BC Hydro's primary business activities are the generation and distribution of electricity. BC Hydro operates 30 hydroelectric facilities and three natural gas-fuelled thermal power plants. About 80% of the province's electricity is produced by major hydroelectric generating stations on the Columbia and Peace rivers. | Presentation [PDF, 479 Kb] | Transmission Planning | Scenario development will be a key component of BC Transmission Corporation’s long-term transmission planning for this inquiry. A number of scenarios will be developed and modeled to identify associated transmission and generation requirements. The presenter from BC Hydro explained that BC Hydro will be providing inputs to these scenarios including a load forecast and an inventory of resource options. BC Transmission Corporation planners will then use these inputs to inform the scenarios and associated transmission plans that will become part of BC Transmission Corporation’s submission to the BC Utilities Commission. To explain the development of a story or scenario, Mr. George provided a life example comparing calories to electricity: how much is needed, what kind of food or resource type, where it is going to come from and how it is going to be transported. Mr. George took this analogy and created his story “Home is where the heart is” which described how he would like the future to look in his territory. BC Transmission Corporation and BC Hydro would like to have First Nations provide their views on the potential resource options, areas inappropriate for development and the future scenarios. This will form part of the basis for Round Two and Three Workshops, at which time the corporations will be seeking First Nations’ input on a variety of topics including regional resource potential, future demand for electricity, scenario development and preliminary transmission plans/options. | Presentation [PDF, 481 Kb] |
After the presentations, participants engaged in a facilitated discussion on transmission planning: Location | Date | Documents |
|---|
Surrey | June 9, 2009 | Surrey Meeting Notes (Amended September 30, 2009) [PDF, 161 Kb] | Campbell River | June 15, 2009 | Campbell River Meeting Notes [PDF, 156 Kb] | Nanaimo | June 16, 2009 | Nanaimo Meeting Notes [PDF, 145 Kb] | Abbotsford | June 19, 2009 | Abbotsford Meeting Notes [PDF, 175 Kb] | Cranbrook | June 23, 2009 | Cranbrook Meeting Notes [PDF, 153 Kb] | Kamloops | July 6, 2009 | Kamloops Meeting Notes [PDF, 154 Kb] | Fort St. John | July 8, 2009 | Fort St. John Meeting Notes [PDF, 173 Kb] | Prince George | July 10, 2009 | Prince George Meeting Notes [PDF, 135 Kb] | Prince Rupert | July 17, 2009 | Prince Rupert Meeting Notes [PDF, 162 Kb] |
At the end of each workshop, participants were encouraged to fill out a Discussion Guide [PDF, 17 Kb]. Questions and comments from the discussion guides are being considered by BC Hydro and BC Transmission Corporation. In response to the questions and comments we heard, BC Hydro and BC Transmission Corporation have prepared Information Sheets and a Questions & Answers document.
| | |
