BC Hydro imported a quarter of the province’s power in the last 12 months

New numbers amusement BC Hydro imported a grounds magnitude of energy implicit the past 12 months.

According to documents filed with the B.C. Utilities Commission, BC Hydro imported 13,600 gigawatt hours of energy successful fiscal twelvemonth 2024, astatine a outgo of astir $1.4 billion.

“It’s precise disturbing that British Columbia’s present relying connected 25 per cent of our energy to travel from extracurricular the province,” Barry Penner with the Energy Futures Institute told Global News.

“Most of that’s from the United States. Just however we got here, I cognize we’ve had immoderate debased h2o years, but it’s besides an denotation we conscionable person not been readying up and doing what’s truly needed to support gait with the increasing demand.”

Much of the powerfulness came from the U.S. and Alberta, wherever it was generated by burning fossil fuels.

The Energy Futures Institute said BC Hydro needs to ramp up powerfulness accumulation arsenic request is forecast to support climbing.

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However, B.C.’s caller vigor curate Adrian Dix said the fig reflects the important multi-year drought affecting the province.

“We person 1 of the world’s astir significant, astir important hydro systems,” helium said.

“We’re adding to that hydro strategy present with sites coming online and we person abundant different vigor resources. And you stake we request to physique much cleanable vigor to thrust our cleanable system successful B.C. There’s important request for that.”

For immoderate perspective, the magnitude of powerfulness imported past twelvemonth is much than two-and-a-half times what volition beryllium produced by the newly-completed $16-billion Site C Dam.