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BC Hydro, Capital Power reach short-term agreement

VANCOUVER – BC Hydro announced today that it has reached a short-term agreement with Capital Power for the Island Generation facility in Campbell River to provide back-up electricity support for Vancouver Island.

BC Hydro has entered a 4.5-year electricity purchase agreement with Capital Power out of an abundance of caution while repairs are made to transmission cables that serve Vancouver Island.

The high voltage cables, running from the Sunshine Coast to Vancouver Island, were damaged in July. Although initial repairs were completed last fall, additional work is required over the next two to four years. BC Hydro expects to take each cable out of service for short periods of time to ensure that the repairs can be completed safely. BC Hydro customers on Vancouver Island will not be impacted by these intermittent cable outages.

BC Hydro’s long-term agreement with Capital Power expired in April. BC Hydro has indicated that a long-term agreement for Island Generation is not required to meet BC Hydro’s long-term system planning requirements.

Island Generation has been a source of BC Hydro’s greenhouse gas emissions in the past. This short-term agreement provides for an additional back up option and BC Hydro will not be relying on the facility on a day-to-day basis for electricity production.

The agreement will be submitted to the BC Utilities Commission for review.

Contact:
BC Hydro Media Relations
e. media@bchydro.com
p. 604 928 6468