Syntaris Power

Two run-of-river projects near Squamish have been awarded electricity purchase agreements in the second phase of B.C. Hydro’s call for clean power proposals.

The power authority announced on March 31 that it has awarded purchase contracts to run-of-river facilities on Culliton Creek and the Mamquam watershed. Both come in under 49 MW and thus neither requires an environmental assessment administered by the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO).

Alberta’s Enmax Corporation and Syntaris Power, a Vancouver-based green energy company, is promoting the Culliton Creek project. The run-of-river facility is to be located about 20 kilometres north of Squamish and generate a total capacity of 15 MW.

An intake at a high elevation will divert water from Culliton Creek into a penstock that leads to a single powerhouse. The water will then return to the creek upstream of the Highway 99 bridge crossing known locally as BOB.

Though it doesn’t have to undergo an environmental assessment mandated by the EAO, a spokeswoman for Syntaris said the company is working on a development plan submission that she said will be available for public review. The assessment for this project only requires it to go through the Integrated Land Management Bureau and the Ministry of Environment.

She went on to say that environmental studies begun in 1996 indicate that there are no fish present above the Culliton bridge. There are, however, numerous fish species, including salmon, downstream of the project and Syntaris has committed to restoring vegetation along the creek once construction is completed.

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Two companies have entered energy purchase agreements with BC Hydro to build two run-of-river power projects in Squamish, according to a Wednesday (March 31) BC Hydro press release.

…The EN-MAX Syntaris Bid Corp. Culliton Creek proposal will include a possible new transmission from the project powerhouse for tie-in at the existing BC Hydro line along the Paradise Valley Road to a buried penstock leading to a single powerhouse, according to project descriptions. Flows from the powerhouse will be returned to the creek upstream of the Highway 99 bridge crossing, also known as Big Orange Bridge.

However other transmission lines are under consideration that have a lower impact than the northern line displayed, states the company’s website. The company expects to be able to finalize a transmission line in summer 2010.

A representative said the company has met with numerous stakeholders including the Squamish River Watershed Society, Streamkeepers and the North Vancouver Outdoor School. Plans to meet with more local groups are underway as is a public open house.

By Sylvie Paillard

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BC Hydro announced today the second round of projects awarded under its 2008 Clean Power Call.

They include one waste heat, one wind, and two run of river projects totaling 450 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year of electricity.

The two run of river projects are both located near Squamish. ENMAX-Syntaris’ Culliton Creek project will generate 56 GWh per year, and Run of River Power Inc.’s Mamquam power project will generate 68 GWh per year.

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Two run-of-river projects in Squamish among agreements awarded

BC Hydro has selected the second group of projects to be awarded electricity purchase agreements under the clean-power call for new sources of electricity.

The agreements announced Wednesday will generate more than 450 gigawatt hours (GWh) of clean, reliable electricity annually, enough to power Hydro said it expects to sign more agreements with renewable power producers in the weeks ahead. The goal is to reach Hydro’s target of 5,000 gigawatt hours per year, roughly the amount of electricity Hydro needs to meet the province’s order to make B.C. electricity self-sufficient by 2016.

…Bev Van Ruyven, acting chief executive officer and president of BC Hydro, said in a statement that clean-power call projects will “complement electricity purchase agreements awarded in the last year and a half under the Bioenergy Call for Power, the Standing Offer Program, as well as bilateral agreements with industry that have enabled BC Hydro to acquire close to 4,300 GWh annually of clean, reliable electricity.”

By Brian Morton, Vancouver Sun

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