BC Hydro's Site C Hydroelectric Project ("Site
C") has been a contentious endeavor from the
start.1 In the latest chapter of the saga, the British
Columbia Utilities Commission (the
"BCUC") released its final report
("Final Report") on its inquiry
("Inquiry") into the implications and
costs of continuing, terminating, or suspending construction (with
the option to resume by 2024).2 All three possible
scenarios come with execution risk and a hefty price tag.
Background
Site C is being built in the northeastern Peace River region and
includes a new reservoir that will run 83 km along the Peace River
and submerge approximately 5,000 hectares of land. Site C is
forecasted to provide a peak capacity of approximately 1,145 MW and
5,286 annual GWh of electricity, which will power the equivalent of
approximately 450,000 homes annually for approximately 100
years.
