Islanders Aim to Scuttle BCTC Overhead Line Plan

Jackie Truscott
Gulf Islands Driftwood
July 27, 2005

You may remember that on June 4th a well-attended community meeting was held at Artspring where BC Transmission Corporation (BCTC) presented some alternatives to its proposed new overhead 230 kV transmission line from the mainland to Vancouver Island.

At that meeting, in response to heated opposition, BCTC agreed to take the community's request for an HVDC Light alternative to higher management.

On July 18th a meeting was held at BCTC offices in downtown Vancouver. This was attended by BCTC's project managers together with Gary Holman, CRD director, Kimberly Lineger of the Islands Trust, two IRAHVOL (Island Residents Against High Voltage Overhead Lines) and one other SSI representative together with representatives of ABB, the manufacturers of HVDC Light technology, Sea Breeze Power Corp and one member of TRAHVOL (Tsawwassen Residents Against High Voltage Lines). IRAHVOL and Sea Breeze requests to bring independent engineers to the meeting were denied, as was attendance by a representative from the Corporation of Delta.

Despite IRAHVOL's attempts to broaden the agenda, the only items discussed were the two HVDC Light options which were presented at the June 4th meeting. ABB gave a very informative presentation on the many technical and environmental advantages of HVDC Light, but after hearing BCTC's responses to questions raised, it was apparent that BCTC is not interested in changing its plans despite concerns of the affected communities.

Unlike the AC cables now in place, which can leak toxic oil into the marine environment and need ugly overhead transmission lines, HVDC Light is a dry-insulated cable which has no electro-magnetic fields and which is designed to be direct-buried rather than encased in concrete. ABB were unable to effectively challenge BCTC's high cost comparisons for HVDC Light because detailed construction estimates had not been provided in time.

IRAHVOL and ABB continue to believe that if all costs are fairly analyzed and system benefits fully evaluated, HVDC Light is a viable alternative which could be routed around the islands via submarine cable instead of using the fifty year old right of way through the middle of Galiano, Parker and Salt Spring Islands.

However, on July 7th BCTC made formal application to the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) for approval of the estimated $245 M Vancouver Island Transmission Reinforcement project. The new lines would have about 600 MW capacity to supply Vancouver Island yet Salt Spring Island and the Gulf Islands have a peak load of only 60 MW.

IRAHVOL proposes to intervene with the BCUC to prevent this project being bullied through the islands and to attempt to delay the project until a full assessment of its need, technology and routing has been completed. BCTC has repeatedly warned that there could be a crisis on Vancouver Island as early as 2008 but this is misleading at best.

Sea Breeze Power Corp. is an independent transmission company which plans to install a 550 MW HVDC Light interconnector between Victoria and Port Angeles.

If all approvals are received this winter, as anticipated, the project will be completed by the fall of 2007. This would be a full year ahead of the BCTC proposal and would be able to take up any shortfall in capacity to Vancouver Island in the event that either one of the two 1300 MW 500 kV northern lines should go down during the coldest period of the winter, when peak demand is highest.

After the failed GSX gas pipeline proposal and the cancellation of the Duke Point proposal it is apparent that neither BC Hydro nor BCTC currently have a well-thought-out long-term plan for Vancouver Island's energy future.

It is now time for BC Hydro and BCTC to reassess all solutions including green power generating options on Vancouver Island, power resources from independent producers and power reduction strategies before they lose all credibility.

If you wish to know more about IRAHVOL or the VITRP, check the IRAHVOL website at www.irahvol.org or phone Enid or Barb Turner at 537 9153.

The writer is an IRAHVOL member.