Indigenous leaders seek to speed up BC Hydro’s expansion plans

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A group of Indigenous leaders hopes to speed up plans by BC Hydro to twin a transmission line to expand hydroelectricity capacity on British Columbia’s North Coast.

The project would help decarbonize production of liquefied natural gas (LNG), critical minerals and hydrogen, according to K’uul Power, a non-profit corporation that is seeking to foster collaboration between First Nations and BC Hydro.

“We understand that renewable energy transmission and generation is instrumental to the development of a decarbonized economy throughout our territories and around the world,” K’uul said in its mission statement.

Plans call for K’uul to forge a deal to obtain Indigenous co-ownership of the proposed North Coast transmission project that would run along the existing route of BC Hydro’s line between Prince George and Terrace.

Representatives from 11 First Nations in the province have signed an agreement to back K’uul’s goals, including spurring electrification plans.

K’uul’s chairman is Wesley Sam, elected chief councillor of the Ts’il Kaz Koh First Nation, formerly known as the Burns Lake Indian Band.

“We don’t want to see a multibillion-dollar line go through our territories where there are no benefits,” he said in an interview.

BC Hydro said it has received inquiries from a range of industries interested in connecting to an expanded electrical grid.

“Early engagement with our Indigenous partners is under way, which aligns with our commitment to explore potential Indigenous co-ownership of the proposed new transmission line infrastructure, as well as other means of Indigenous participation,” the Crown corporation said in a statement.

Alex Grzybowski has been appointed as the chief executive officer of K’uul, which is keen to collaborate with BC Hydro on the North Coast twinning plans in 2024, but has other projects to pursue, too.

Based on initial expressions of interest from potential customers of new supplies of hydroelectricity, K’uul estimates 25 per cent of the demand could be from LNG projects. Another 45 per cent might be for producing hydrogen, while the remainder could be earmarked for critical minerals and the Port of Prince Rupert.

Ten of the 13 elected band councils directly affected by the twinning project are involved with K’uul.

Those 10 band councils have indicated that they will support the twinning if it is done properly, Mr. Grzybowski said. The conditions to win K’uul’s blessing include fair compensation to First Nations for any environmental effects and ensuring Indigenous participation in building and maintaining the new transmission line.

Details yet to be worked out include impact benefit agreements for First Nations and a governance structure for potential Indigenous co-ownership of the new North Coast line with BC Hydro.

BC Hydro CEO Chris O’Riley has cautioned that it would normally take eight to 10 years for the North Coast transmission project to go through the regulatory process and complete construction of the route, which spans nearly 450 kilometres.

Mr. Grzybowski said there is an opportunity to think outside the box at this early stage.

“If the First Nations lead the process and define the terms upon which they can go ahead, and they’ve got agreement on that, it could go much, much faster,” Mr. Grzybowski said in an interview.

Mr. Sam said he has met with other chiefs and they envisage an expedited process. “We’ve got to do this differently,” he said.

Supporters of K’uul include the Nisga’a Nation, which supports Ksi Lisims LNG, and the Haisla Nation, which is the majority owner of Cedar LNG.

The Nisga’a, Western LNG and a group of natural gas producers called Rockies LNG are partners in their proposed Ksi Lisims project near Gitlaxt’aamiks, which is home to the Nisga’a Lisims government led by elected president Eva Clayton.

Ksi Lisims plans to use two floating platforms to produce LNG, with hydroelectricity powering motors that would drive compressors in the liquefaction process. The project would then deploy other vessels to ship LNG to Asia, aiming to start exports in 2028.

But without the new North Coast transmission project, Ksi Lisims would need to rely on turbines fired by natural gas to power liquefaction.

The elected Lax Kw’alaams Band opposes Ksi Lisims, casting doubt on the LNG project’s goal of net-zero emissions.

Gitanyow hereditary chiefs have expressed climate concerns about both Ksi Lisims and its preferred pipeline partner, TC Energy Corp.’s Prince Rupert Gas Transmission.

The first phase of LNG Canada, which is being built in Kitimat on the traditional territory of the Haisla, will rely on gas-fired turbines. High-efficiency turbines using “aeroderivative” technology will help supercool natural gas into liquid form, with hydroelectricity used in supporting roles such as auxiliary power.

LNG Canada plans to start exports of natural gas in liquid form to Asia by 2025.

The co-owners of LNG Canada, led by Shell PLC, are considering whether to approve a proposed Phase 2 expansion.

Those expansion plans already have regulatory approval to utilize gas-fired turbines, similar to Phase 1, though LNG Canada is considering switching over to electric motors to drive compressors for Phase 2′s liquefaction, if there is a reliable supply of sufficient hydroelectricity.

Cedar, led by the Haisla together with co-owner Pembina Pipeline Corp., plans to operate a floating production facility, which would be connected to the existing electrical grid after undergoing upgrades.

Cedar won environmental approval in March, 2023, from the B.C. and federal governments. The Haisla and Pembina expect to make a final investment decision in the first quarter of 2024 on whether to forge ahead.

LNG Canada and Cedar both depend on receiving natural gas from Coastal GasLink’s 670-km pipeline from northeast B.C. to Kitimat.

About 190 km of the contentious pipeline route cross the Wet’suwet’en Nation’s traditional territory. Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs who oppose Coastal GasLink say they have jurisdiction over that territory.