Island power cable bid clears a hurdle
Nanaimo News Bulletin
Sep 23 2006
Another hurdle has been cleared in the push to replace the Island's aging high-voltage power cables from the mainland.
The public comment period on a proposal to run a 230-kilovolt cable over from Tsawwassen ran out Sept. 15, and now the B.C. Transmission Corp. gets a chance to respond.
"We are now finalizing all the issues and comments people made to the Environmental Assessment Office," says Donna McGeachie, BCTC spokeswoman.
She said BCTC will soon submit its response to those comments.
"Our next major deadline, the Environmental Assessment Office has to have their report completed and they're aiming for Nov. 15 - that's the end of the 180-day review period."
The review is part of the approval process for the cables needed to meet the Island's future energy needs.
Objectors to the application included Seabreeze Power, a company that proposes to run a cable from Washington, and three Tsawwassen residents who say BCTC has authority to put the cable underground across Tsawwassen First Nation land.
"Our assertion is we don't," McGeachie said.
The approval process continues. Once the Environmental Assessment Office gives its response, the application goes to provincial Environment Minister Barry Penner and Energy Minister Richard Neufeld for a 45-day ministerial review.
BCTC expects a decision by late December.
"Who knows, it could be a New Year's present for you," McGeachie said.
Posted by Arthur Caldicott on 27 Sep 2006