As the corporate identifies promising tasks, FortisBC will work with energy suppliers to convey these new tasks on-line and enhance the quantity of electrical energy out there for its prospects.
“As a supplier of crucial vitality providers in British Columbia, FortisBC is dedicated to offering secure, dependable and reasonably priced vitality to the houses and companies we serve,” stated Joe Mazza, vice chairman of vitality provide and useful resource improvement. “As our prospects’ vitality wants develop, we’re working with Indigenous and native communities, native governments, companies and organizations to satisfy this rising demand. This initiative may even be a possibility for electrical energy era suppliers to increase and create new jobs right here in B.C., whereas guaranteeing that our prospects proceed to have the vitality they want after they want it.”
FortisBC is in search of energy suppliers with expertise constructing tasks in B.C. and with a give attention to creating revolutionary, lower-carbon and renewable vitality sources, together with biomass, biogas, hydroelectricity, photo voltaic, wind and geothermal tasks. The corporate is all in favour of revolutionary new or current tasks situated in British Columbia, ideally having a minimal dimension of 5 megawatts. FortisBC is wanting so as to add as much as 1,100 gigawatt hours of vitality provide as quickly as 2030.
Along with details about potential tasks, FortisBC is all in favour of new or current tasks which have a robust Indigenous fairness element or are Indigenous led. It’s looking for an understanding of every undertaking’s engagement actions with Indigenous and native communities, with the purpose of offering alternatives for Indigenous contractors and supporting native and Indigenous-affiliated companies. The corporate can be asking candidates if they’ve been working with Indigenous and native teams on the event of their tasks and whether or not they have agreed to share in potential advantages arising from the tasks.
The RFEOI is a part of FortisBC’s plan to develop its vitality programs within the Southern Inside, guaranteeing our prospects have the vitality they want. The corporate has seen better than anticipated demand for electrical energy with inhabitants and financial progress within the area and growing electrification of components of the financial system. FortisBC’s 2021 Lengthy-Time period Electrical Useful resource Plan (LTERP) proposed new infrastructure tasks for the area, together with upgrades to the F. A. Lee Terminal Station and the addition of transformers to different substations in Kelowna. Within the 2025-2027 Charge Setting Framework, FortisBC is looking for approval from the British Columbia Utilities Fee (BCUC) to speculate $157 million over the following three years in extra electrical energy infrastructure, reminiscent of new transformers and upgrades to substations and transmission traces within the Southern Inside. In 2026, the corporate anticipates submitting a brand new LTERP that can embody additional investments in electrical energy infrastructure tasks all through the Southern Inside area.
Extra info on the RFEOI is accessible at fortisbc.com/newpower.
Quotes
On behalf of our members, I commend FortisBC for its efforts to increase electrical energy capability within the Southern Inside. By pursuing revolutionary, clear vitality tasks—together with photo voltaic, wind, hydro and geothermal—FortisBC is fostering a various vary of vitality options. By prioritizing tasks that contain Indigenous Nations and creating alternatives for Indigenous contractors and native companies, FortisBC is setting excessive requirements for integrating neighborhood advantages into vitality tasks and advancing financial reconciliation. Clear Power Affiliation of British Columbia is thrilled to again this initiative to make sure reasonably priced and equitable financial progress for all British Columbians whereas additionally addressing future electrification wants.
Kwatuuma Cole Sayers, government director, Clear Power Affiliation of British Columbia
FortisBC’s request for expressions of curiosity will add new sources of fresh renewable electrical energy to B.C.’s grid so that individuals, companies, and communities all through British Columbia can proceed to have secure, dependable, reasonably priced electrical energy for years to return. Growing and diversifying our provide of fresh electrical energy may even create 1000’s of fine jobs everywhere in the province, and supply new alternatives for First Nations in our clear vitality sector.
Josie Osborne, B.C. Minister of Power, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation
The Okanagan Valley is the quickest rising area in Canada, and we have to have a look at extra revolutionary methods to help our evolving enterprise neighborhood and steady inhabitants progress. We acknowledge that many individuals come to Kelowna for its climate and pure magnificence, nevertheless secure employment and a various financial system is crucial to our long-term sustainability,” stated Mayor Tom Dyas, “This announcement by FortisBC is encouraging because it acknowledges a a lot better funding in electrical infrastructure inside our area and aligns with Council’s priorities on Local weather and the Atmosphere, and fostering financial improvement.
Tom Dyas, mayor, Metropolis of Kelowna
Producing extra clear electrical energy is essential to constructing a robust, low-carbon financial system whereas conserving vitality reasonably priced and dependable. Right now’s announcement by FortisBC is a optimistic step in the direction of the province’s electrified future.
Mark Zacharias, government director, Clear Power Canada
Constructing new clear electrical energy era tasks is important to assist meet B.C.’s rising vitality calls for and can create jobs for electricians, energy line technicians and different expert tradespeople. ECABC’s contractors sit up for contributing to constructing this vital infrastructure.
Matt MacInnis, president, Electrical Contractors Affiliation of British Columbia
Given inhabitants and industrial progress in B.C., mixed with the necessity to enhance the electrification of our buildings and transportation sectors, growing the provision of fresh, renewable vitality is crucial to a resilient future. We’re happy to see FortisBC taking this step to increase the provision of fresh electrical energy within the Southern Inside, with a give attention to innovation and Indigenous participation, together with continued investments in effectivity and vitality infrastructure.
Betsy Agar, buildings program director, Pembina Institute
Media contact
Gary Toft
Senior company communications advisor
FortisBC
Cellphone: 604-219-0809
E mail: gary.toft@fortisbc.com
fortisbc.com
@fortisbc
24-hour media line: 1-855-FBC-NEWS or 1-855-322-6397
