It is one of the biggest capital investments Vancouver Island has seen this decade and it is now giving residents a return on that investment.
More than a decade after its initial conception, the new $1.1 billion John Hart Generating station is officially complete and fully operational.
Representatives from all levels of government involved in the project, along with chiefs of local First Nations and dignitaries from all facets of the stationB次元官网网址檚 construction gathered for one more tour of the Campbell River-area facility Thursday, touting the projectB次元官网网址檚 importance to the corporation, the community and the people.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a wonderful opportunity to see, first hand, the extraordinary scope of this work,B次元官网网址� says North-Island MLA and Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Claire Trevena. B次元官网网址淚 remember a number of years ago, sitting outside by the parking lot as this was being announced. Now to be here just when the finishing touches are being completed is truly impressive.B次元官网网址�
Trevena calls the project an important step in B次元官网网址渕aking sure that we are going to have more clean energy for B.C.B次元官网网址� and says she references the John Hart Generating Station project as a key example of how the Community Benefits Agreement works.
She also says hydroelectricity is a key component of the shift required to meet our climate targets.
B次元官网网址淲e must increase our use of cleaner energy B次元官网网址� especially hydroelectricity B次元官网网址� in our lives and in key sectors of our economy, shifting away from our reliance on fossil fuels for transportation, for industry and for housing. This project will help ensure that we have the power we need to support that low-carbon electrification and meet our climate goals.B次元官网网址�
The project included replacing the aging existing underground generating station with new equipment, replacing three 1.8 kilometre pipelines with a single 2.1 kilometre tunnel and building a new water intake and bypass facility.
Chris OB次元官网网址橰iley, president of BC Hydro B次元官网网址� who actually began his career with BC Hydro at the old John Hart facility B次元官网网址� says the facility is B次元官网网址渁 really key part of our system on Vancouver Island, but it is also a key part of the regionB次元官网网址檚 history.
The construction of the dam itself 71 years ago, OB次元官网网址橰iley says, B次元官网网址渒icked off the growth in the North Island. In particular, it enabled the Elk Falls mill, which allowed this town to grow up from a small fishing town into the robust community that we know today, and John Hart continues to build those connections and fill that role today and into the future.B次元官网网址�
But the original power plant, B次元官网网址渨as recognized as one of the biggest environmental risks in the company,B次元官网网址� OB次元官网网址橰iley says, and when they eventually settled on putting the new powerhouse underground, B次元官网网址渋t solved a lot of problems and constraints,B次元官网网址� but it also forced them B次元官网网址渢o really change how we thought about building a plant and forced us to be open to different approaches and open to other ideas.B次元官网网址�
Chief Chris Roberts of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation says heB次元官网网址檚 happy with the environmental considerations BC Hydro has made throughout the planning and construction.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e only been in this position for about eight months,B次元官网网址� Roberts says, B次元官网网址渁nd a lot of people here have talked about being here from the beginning. But for me, our people have been here since the very beginning of when this infrastructure was first put in place.
B次元官网网址淚n those days, there was no effort of consultation on engagement of how this might impact a place that we call home. When I learned about some of the details about what this project has in terms of being environmentally-aware infrastructure B次元官网网址� I was very pleased to see that it was an improvement rather than just a replacement.B次元官网网址�
Chief Brian Assu of the We Wai Kai was involved through the entire process, and agrees with Roberts about the relationships between First Nations and the company.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been involved with BC Hydro for a very long time,B次元官网网址� Assu says. B次元官网网址淏ut IB次元官网网址檇 especially like to recognize and thank past Chief Ralph Dick and Chief Robert Pollard. They were integral to forming the new relationship that has developed between not only our First Nations, but also BC Hydro and SNC (Lavalin). We were all working together over time and the results are just fantastic.B次元官网网址�
miked@campbellrivermirror.com
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