The Board of the Cariboo Regional District is calling on the province of BC and BC Hydro to expedite a new deal to secure jobs at this local power plant.
Margo Wagner, Chair of the CRD’s Board of Directors said “Premier David Eby has expressed numerous times that our electrical system in the north needs more clean energy to support economic growth for the entire province. It’s extraordinarily counter intuitive to cause the closure of an existing facility that already checks these boxes and produces huge benefits for its host community simply by refusing to negotiate a reasonable agreement.
The CRD said this has been a hot topic of discussion at many Council and Board meetings in Williams Lake and elected officials will continue to advocate for an agreement to be reached between Atlantic Power and BC Hydro.
Rising costs to transport wood waste from farther away, declining waste wood volumes from local mills, and a threatened timber supply are all translating into higher costs to operate the Williams Lake Power Plant.
While Atlantic Power has an agreement with BC Hydro until October 2029, the Cariboo Regional District said failing to revise it could close this facility’s doors as early as late 2025.
“The impact in Williams Lake and surrounding area will be devastating to local services and to everyone who chooses to live, work, and play in the Cariboo,” CRD Vice-Chair Melynda Neufeld said.
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