British Columbia Approves Lillooet Hydro Project

Canada’s push for “clean energy” continues to gain ground as the province of British Columbia issued an Environmental Assessment Certificate to the Upper Lillooet Hydro Project developed by Creek Power Inc. In the coming years  Two “run-of-river” hydroelectric facilities or “HEFs” will be constructed on the Upper Lillooet River and Boulder Creek in Pemberton Valley.

From their respective water sources, HEFs will divert parts of the water to turbines that generate power. Afterwards, the same water will be returned to the river or creek where they came from. Meanwhile, transmission lines which are interconnected to the BC Hydro transmission systems deliver electricity to the consumers. This energy source is expected to power an estimated 40,000 homes when it becomes operational in August 2015.

Various studies have supported the environmental benefits of hydroelectric energy. Unlike coal and natural gas plants that emit greenhouse gases, hydroelectric energy generation is clean and emissions-free. The best advantage of this energy source is that the water  used to produce electricity is returned to its origin, clean and unchanged.

The company expects to start construction on the Boulder Creek and Upper Lillooet facilities in 2013 and on the North Creek facility in 2014.