BC Hydro Launches Haida Gwaii Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEOI)

March 12, 2013

On October 18, 2012, BC Hydro launched its Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEOI) for renewable electricity projects on Haida Gwaii in western British Columbia. The RFEOI comes as BC Hydro attempts to gradually substitute reliance on diesel-generated electricity on the North Grid with cleaner, reliable and more cost-effective energy.

The Haida Gwaii islands are not connected to BC Hydro’s integrated system. At present, BC Hydro's Non-Integrated Area services Haida Gwaii’s electricity requirements from two generation-distribution systems. BC Hydro's diesel-generating system in Masset provides power to the North grid that serves Old Masset, Masset and Port Clements. A privately owned hydroelectric plant generates power to the South Grid and is backed up by BC Hydro’s diesel station in Sandspit.

The RFEOI requires that preferred projects share three characteristics:

all electricity must be generated from clean or renewable resources as defined by the province’s Clean Energy Guideline;
the project must have an installed plant capacity of greater than 1 MW with a maximum of up to the peak load requirements of the North Grid; and
the project must have a proposed point of interconnection to the North Grid on BC Hydro’s distribution system in the Haida Gwaii Non-Integrated Area.

Proposed projects should also satisfy BC Hydro’s criteria for proven technology, demonstrating three years of commercial operation in three jurisdictions.

Twenty-six respondents had submitted Expressions of Interests by the RFEOI deadline of November 23, 2012.

BC Hydro Clean Energy Guideline diesel-generated electricity Haida Gwaii Masset Non-Integrated Area North Grid Old Masset peak load Port Clements Sandspit South Grid

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