FortisBC is looking to harness the power of the wind as it plans to build more infrastructure to meet the increasing energy needs of the Southern Interior.
The organization recently announced its plans to launch a call for power and add up to 1,100 gigawatt hours of energy to its supply by 2030.
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The call will focus on wind projects that can directly connect to the FortisBC system in the Southern Interior and provide power during the winter.
“Geographically, where we are, wind is the right resource to bring on for meeting the winter needs we have,” said Tania Specogna, FortisBC director of resource development.
On top of focusing on wind power, the projects looking to be considered must have a minimum 25% Indigenous equity ownership.
“By supporting local power projects and working with Indigenous organizations, we can expand electricity generation to ensure homes and businesses in the Southern Interior have the energy they need,” said Joe Mazza, vice president of energy supply and resource development.
“This call for power is an important step in delivering safe, reliable and affordable energy—driving economic development and strengthening communities for the future.”
The call to power is the next step to FortisBC’s request for expressions of interest (RFEOI) it issued in 2024.
After issuing the RFEOI in 2024, FortisBC received more than 80 submissions representing about 20,000 gigawatt hours of electricity.
While there was plenty of interest during the RFEOI, FortisBC plans to grow at a pace that matches the needs of the region.
“What's important for us is that as you see increased demand for electricity and energy, we want to grow our energy systems at the same rate,” explained Gary Toft, senior corporate communications advisor.
“And the reason that's important is that if we get too far ahead of how our customers are growing their needs, we take on infrastructure and that can put upward pressure on people's bills. So we want to make sure that we're very mindful as customers needs grow, we're growing at the same rate.”
The call to power will not be the only growth in the FortisBC network, as the British Columbia Utilities Commission has approved the electrical company’s plan to invest $133 million by 2027 in new power projects.
