Green power scheme gets more time for public review

By Paul Rudan
Campbell River Mirror
Jan 25 2006

The public will have more time to review a multi-million-dollar hydroelectric proposal dubbed the "Green Power Corridor."

The public review period on Plutonic Power Corporation's application for an environmental assessment certificate was supposed to end Feb. 16. However, that deadline was extended by the Environmental Assessment office. The public review period will now run from Feb. 1 to March 2.

Plutonic wants to build a series of 12 hydroelectric generators on the mainland, most of which are located northeast of Campbell River. The cost of the entire project - which includes a total of 19 stations - is estimated at $1 billion and two of the key projects, estimated at $300 million, are slated for East Toba River and Montrose Creek, located along Toba Inlet.

The company wants to build generating stations that would have a low impact on the environment. "Run of river" hydroelectric generation utilizes catch basins on mountains sides which divert water into pipelines which run downhill and connect with turbines.

The water is then returned to the river system and Plutonic wants to build them in isolated wilderness areas where salmon cannot access the river due to natural barriers such as waterfalls. Above-ground powerlines would carry the energy - enough to power 60,000 homes - to a new substation at Saltery Bay.

However, the area in question along Toba Inlet is subject to land claims by the Cortes Island-based Klahoose First Nation. According to chief Duane Hanson, these are the hereditary lands of his band and they're not about to sign them over for development. The Klahoose support the project on East Toba River but not at Montrose Creek.

"This is the last pristine watershed in our traditional territory - we want a protected area for our cultural revitalization and for our people to re-connect with the land," Hanson told the Mirror.

For more information about the proposed projects, visit www.plutonic.ca where you can find a link to the environmental assessment application.

Comments on the application can also be sent to: Sue Bonnyman, Project Assessment Manager, Environmental Assessment Office, PO Box 9426 Stn. Prov. Gov., Victoria, B.C, V8W 9V1 or by e-mail to eaoinfo@gov.bc.ca

EAO project website