RE:RE:RE:RE:RE: hydro I don't have the transcripts, but at the 17th annual BC Natural Resource Forum in Prince George Jan 28th, 2020, the gust was that even with Site C Dam, it would not be able to meet future demand from industry. Some numbers were tossed around. Need at least 3X Site C dams 3GW. Someone posted on this forum numbers around Jan 30th, 2020. Unless the speaker(s) at the forum were over-optimistic, I'm taking those numbers at face for now.
Electrification of future LNG projects maybe even Phase 2 of LNG Canada (if that ever happens), new refinery and fertilizer plant proposals, etc.
Some upgrades were done to other dams to increases output. I have no details on those at the moment.
Even with LNG Canada, politicians would be open for another LNG project. Going back to their election campaign talk. Policy statements that BC must electrify most energy consuming uses and must convert most carbon-based fuel current users to electricity. "Likelihood that a new dam will not be built, it is clear that future energy supply must come from utility scale renewable resources." (Oceanic Wind Energy, Page 4 MD&A) Sept 30, 2020. If trying to meet future energy supply by hydro alone would present a challenge, yes wind power will help, But that has to be backed up by hydro who already would be stretched to the limits. And implies that if that can't be met, have to import.
BC Hydro will hold the key with the EPA, It's up to them to decide if a windfarm is needed to provide electricity for the grid and how much. They have their own forecasts and assumptions about future demand. This is beyond this discussion.
The 600km HVAC transmission line to Prince George is of finite capacity, According to Oceanic Wind Energy. A new line would take up to a decade to approve and cost multi-billion. Projects currently under development in the region would require 1000MW of new electricity. Best met by the windfarm proposal.
Gets complicated when everything is drawn together. Will let Northland handle that.