BC Hydro's 2008 LTAP - The Written Arguments Are In
The written arguments are now in and and only the final oral hearing remains (scheduled for June 1, 9am at the BCUC in Vancouver) in the matter of BC Hydro's 2008 Long Term Acquisition Plan (LTAP). BC Hydro and an incredible 13 intervenors submitted written arguments to the BCUC in what has been a very thorough and hotly contested examination of the future of electricity generation in this province. If you are interested in reading the arguments, you can access all of them here, through the BCUC's excellent website.
June 2 Update: To view the BCUC transcripts from the June 1 Oral Phase, click here and go to the bottom of the page and click on "Transcript Volume 16 Oral Phase June 1, 2009".
July 15 Update: The Tyee is reporting on its blog that the BCUC is expected to release its decision on Monday July 20. BC Hydro is expected to then release the results of the Clean Power Call no later than 4 weeks after the BCUC LTAP decision.
With the 2008 LTAP, the BCUC faces one of its most important decisions in recent memory. To the renewable energy industry in BC and the 68 proponents who bid 17,000 GWh's per year bid in to the Clean Call for Power, its decision whether to approve BC Hydro's request for a pre-attrition target of 3,000 GWh/year from last year's CPC is absolutely critical. The breadth of the next series of renewable power generation depends on it.
BC Hydro's 3,000 GW/h request has been mired in controversy after the lunacy late last year. BC Hydro, for its part, is holding firm on the 3,000 GWh/year, while IPPBC and Nai Kun Wind Energy Group Inc. each presented arguments against this revised call volume. Of note, Nai Kun, went so far as to argue a pre-attrition CPC volume of 9,000 GWh/year. The thing is, there is plenty of opportunity out there to fill that volume, and BC Hydro's DSM's program success is hard to measure, so I just wonder if the BCUC will reject BC Hydro's reasons for reducing the CPC volume on the basis of short-sightedness or whatever, or if it will simply acquiesce. It's in their hands.
The BCUC's final decision on the 2008 LTAP is expected in late-June. An entire industry and millions of investment dollars await, on pins and needles.....
June 30 @ 5pm Update: OK, so the end of June was not to be. I'll go on the record as saying a decision on the 2008 LTAP is expected anytime.
The LTAP decision drives the clean call and helps shape the Section 5 Inquiry. We are all waiting for the LTAP decision.
