The District of Stewart has been named 2014 Community of the Year by Clean Energy BC, the industry association of B.C. independent power producers.
In 2010, Stewart began to help the Long Lake hydroelectric project come into being on Cascade Creek, 20 km north of Stewart, announced Clean Energy BC in a press release Oct. 6.
The Long Lake generating station is a 31-megawatt project that can feed enough electricity to BC Hydro to power some 13,000 typical B.C. homes.
It was developed as a joint-venture partnership between Regional Power and Premier Power Corporation, with the co-operation of local First Nations groups.
"This is a very big deal for us; the business and the award," said Stewart mayor Galina Durant.
"We helped the company establish itself here for the project and gave it what help we could. It's been a very good relationship and it remains a very good relationship."
Stewart and its community revitalization plan supported the project by, among other things, accommodating a construction camp (through an exception to the district's bylaws), enabling storage of equipment, and implementing community and student outreach programs.
Also on Clean Energy BC's awards list for the Project Excellence is the Forrest Kerr run-of-river hydroelectric project by AltaGas Ltd.
Forrest Kerr, located on the Iskut River about 100 km northwest of Stewart B.C., is a 195-megawatt project that feeds enough power to BC Hydro's new Northwest Transmission Line to supply up to 70,000 homes.
Awards will be presented on Oct. 16 at Clean Energy BC's Generate 2014 conference in Vancouver.