Whereas it is crucial that BC taxpayers and ratepayers are protected from excessive and unnecessary increases in BC Hydro rates; And whereas it is imperative that the BC Utilities Commission is able to consider all options for the production of electrical power in its oversight of the Site C dam project: Therefore be it resolved that the Government of British Columbia amend the Clean Energy Act to ensure that the power from all appropriate sources, specifically the Burrard Thermal Generating Plant and the Columbia River Entitlement, can be considered in any decision about the need for Site C.
Ministry of Energy, Mines Petroleum Resources On August 2, 2017, Government issued Order-in-Council 244 requiring the BC Utilities Commission to conduct an inquiry respecting the Site C project. The BC Utilities Commission BCUC was asked to assess the cost to ratepayers of completing, suspending or terminating the Site C project, in the context of current supply and demand conditions prevailing in the BC market. The BC Utilities Commission provided its inquiry report to Government on Nov. 1, 2017. Among other findings, the BCUC advised that the cost of terminating Site C would be around 4 billion 2.1 billion for project planning and construction costs incurred by BC Hydro prior to December 31, 2017, plus another 1.8 billion after that, to terminate the project and remediate the site. On December 11, 2017, Government announced that it would complete construction of the Site C hydroelectric dam. The decision to proceed was primarily driven by a determination that British Columbians should not have to take on 4 billion in debt with nothing in return for the people of this province and, even worse, with massive cuts to the services they count on. At the same time, Government committed to launching a Site C turnaround plan to contain project costs while adding tangible benefits. This plan will include a new Project Assurance Board that will provide enhanced oversight to future contract procurement and management, project deliverables, environmental integrity, and quality assurance. Additional details on the turnaround plan can be found here: https:news.gov.bc.careleases2017PREM0135-002039