CALGARY energy company AltaGas officially opened its northwestern B.C. run-of-river hydro electric projects yesterday with company officials, Tahltan Central Council officials and provincial politicians on hand.
The largest of the three projects went into service last year followed by a second one also last year and a third is nearly finished.
Total capital cost for the three projects located along the Iskut River on Tahltan traditional territory is nearly $1 billion and the power generated flows into BC Hydro's Northwest Transmission Line which was also completed last year.
The largest of the three, Forrest Kerr, has a rated capacity of 195 megawatts and went into commercial production last October followed by the 16-megawatt Volcano Creek facility last December.
The 66-megawatt McLymont Creek project is nearing completion and will be brought online later this year, states a company press release.
AltaGas signed economic benefits agreements for all three projects with the Tahltan Central Council and all three agreements were subject to approval by members of the Tahltan Nation.
On hand for the opening were members from the Tahltan First Nation, Tahltan Central Council president Chad Day, energy and mines minister Bill Bennett, aboriginal relations and reconciliation minister John Rustad and AltaGas chairman and chief executive officer David Cornhill.
AltaGas also owns Pacific Northern Gas, northwestern B.C.'s natural gas utility, and is a partner in a project which, pending a final investment decision, would locate a small liquefied natural gas plant on a barge near Kitimat.