Atlantic Power's Williams Lake biomass energy plant is still in limbo, while B.C. imported record amounts of electricity last year.
The plant's future remains uncertain, after having given a one year termination of contract notice to BC Hydro at the beginning of 2024. The biomass energy plant burns wood waste to produce electricity and is the city's largest single taxpayer.
Atlantic Power said the Williams Lake plant would cease operations due to the lack of affordable fibre to maintain financial viability, but the original October deadline to revoke this notice has been relaxed due to the impact of the provincial election.
"It's exactly where it was at two months ago," said Beth Veenkamp, city of Williams Lake economic development officer.
This is despite BC Hydro reportedly importing as much as 25 per cent of the province's electricity from the United States and Alberta in the 12 months leading up to March 2024. But fibre for the plant has become harder to get, as its supply is further away and there is competition for it, given other users like the wood pellet plant owned by Drax also need fibre.
"It's just very complex," said Veenkamp, noting other power projects are planned but will still take time to build while demand for electricity continues to go up.
After the provincial election halted work on finding a solution, new provincial ministers have been appointed and will now have to be brought up to speed.
"The election has seriously derailed action on that file," explained Veenkamp. Four provincial ministries had been involved in the search for solutions to keep Atlantic Power operating in Williams Lake.
Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions Adrian Dix, Minister of Environment and Parks Tamara Davidson, Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar and Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation Diana Gibson are now the focus of efforts by the city to continue to press the province to ensure the power plant continues to operate.
The city is asking for a meeting with any or all of the ministers and have invited them to tour the facility so they can have a sense of the scale of it, said Veenkamp.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation said plants like the one in Williams Lake are a priority and the province will continue to help find new sources of fuel and to build new supply chains.
"We are pleased to see that they were able to reach a decision that allowed them to continue to operate," said a statement from the Ministry, which also acknowledged the challenges the forest industry is facing and the importance of clean energy.
Atlantic Power Williams Lake is currently operating and can produce an estimated 66 MW of electricity. The energy plant is also the city's largest water user and was built in 1993. Veenkamp said the power plant currently has enough fibre to operate into possibly March or April 2025.
Why did B.C. have to import so much power?
In 2023, BC Hydro reported drought conditions had led to hydro dams producing less electricity, while demand in the province continues to increase. The reduced production then led to record imports of electricity from both the United States and Alberta.
According to the most recent report from the B.C. Utilities Commission, B.C. imported a record 25 per cent of the province's in the 12 months prior to March 31 of this year.
What other impacts to power supply are also taking place in the province?
The Site C dam near Fort St. John in northern B.C., which began construction in 2015, is nearing completion, with the reservoir having filled within 11 months of construction completion. The dam is slated to have all six generating units in service by fall 2025.
The province has also recently approved nine new wind-power projects to help meet future demands, and is pushing for these and more projects to be built sooner rather than later.
This story has been updated to include background provided by the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation.
