With First Nations partners, new wind projects will boost B.C.’s affordable clean-energy supply

Press Release

BC’s Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions and BC Hydro have announced nine project recipients for BC’s 2024 Call for Power, all of which feature First Nations partners. The First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) congratulates the successful proponents of this Call.

These nine projects, centering on First Nations partnerships, represents a necessary step in the economic reconciliation journey and quickly bringing more clean power to BC’s grid. Notably, BC Hydro required a minimum 25% First Nations equity ownership for projects in this Call, and the resulting average ownership exceeded 50%. This result underscores the value that First Nations owners and partners contribute to projects on their lands and waters, accelerating Canada’s clean energy transition.

The FNMPC is proud to have supported one of our members, the Stellat’en First Nation, in their successful bid for BC’s 2024 Call for Power. The Stellat’en First Nation has entered into a general partnership with Innergex on the 200MW Nithi Mountain Wind Project. Further, we are pleased that four FNMPC members who put bids into the Call were successful: Wei Wai Kum First Nation, Lower Nicola, Saulteau First Nation and Lheidli T’enneh.

The First Nations Major Projects Coalition extend our congratulations to all the successful First Nations and their industry partners, as well as the Clean Energy Association of British Columbia (CEBC), which has advocated for and supported First Nations in BC’s electrification space for decades.

The FNMPC remains committed to advocating for First Nations partnership and ownership that respects the interests of our First Nations members. This includes urging BC Hydro to establish Energy Purchase Agreements (EPAs) that appropriately account for impacts to First Nations exercising their legal, treaty, and inherent rights to their unceded lands and waters.

This 2024 Call for Power should only be BC’s first step of many towards bringing First Nation ownership and partnership in electrification projects and infrastructure in the decades to come. This is a vital shift away from the historical exclusion of First Nations in BC’s power generation and transmission sectors. We look forward to additional BC Calls for Power as the Province gears up to meet the growing demand for clean energy.

Successful Projects

• Boulder and Elkhart Wind Project
  • Proponent: Elkhart Wind Limited Partnership
  • IPP Partner: Elemental Energy
  • First Nation Partner: Upper Nicola Band
  • Capacity: 94 MW
  • Region: South Interior West
• Brewster Wind Project
  • Proponent: Brewster Wind Inc.
  • IPP Partner: Capstone Infrastructure
  • First Nation Partner: Wei Wai Kum First Nation
  • Capacity: 197 MW
  • Region: Vancouver Island
• Highland Valley Wind Project
  • Proponent: Highland Valley Wind Inc.
  • IPP Partner: Capstone Infrastructure
  • First Nation Partner: Ashcroft Indian Band
  • Capacity: 197 MW
  • Region: South Interior West
• K2 Wind Project
  • Proponent: K2 Wind Power Inc.
  • IPP Partner: Innergex Renewable Energy Inc.
  • First Nation Partner: Westbank First Nation
  • Capacity: 160 MW
  • Region: South Interior West
• Mount Mabel Wind Project
  • Proponent: Mount Mabel Wind Inc.
  • IPP Partner: Capstone Infrastructure
  • First Nation Partner: Lower Nicola Indian Band
  • Capacity: 143 MW
  • Region: South Interior West
• Nilhts’I Ecoener Project
  • Proponent: Nilhts’I Ecoener Energy Corp
  • IPP Partner: Ecoener
  • First Nation Partner: Lheidli T’enneh
  • Capacity: 140 MW
  • Region: Central Interior
• Nithi Mountain Wind Project
  • Proponent: General Partnership
  • IPP Partner: Innergex Renewable Energy Inc.
  • First Nation Partner: Stellat’en First Nation
  • Capacity: 200 MW
  • Region: North Coast
• Stewart Creek Wind Project
  • Proponent: Stewart Creek Power Inc.
  • IPP Partner: Innergex Renewable Energy Inc.
  • First Nation Partner: West Moberly First Nation
  • Capacity: 200 MW
  • Region: Peace
• Taylor Wind Project
  • Proponent: Taylor Wind Project Inc.
  • IPP Partner: EDF Renewables
  • First Nation Partner: Saulteau First Nations
  • Capacity: 200 MW
  • Region: Peace

Learn more about FNMPC’s recommendations from our National Indigenous Electrification Strategy: https://fnmpc.ca/wp-content/uploads/FNMPC_National_Electrification_digital_final_04222024.pdf

To read BC’s 2024 Call for Power announcement, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024ECS0048-001643

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