Proposed Vanderhoof wind farm looking for power purchaser

A wind farm being proposed near Vanderhoof is still trying to get off the ground.

The Nulki Hills Wind Farm is a 50 – 50 project between the Saik’uz First Nation and Innergex Energy, pencilled in for a site about 30km south of town.

“We are working together on getting an electricity purchase agreement, so being able to sell our electricity.” Innergex Community Relations Director Bas Bruche said “The timelines for the project are very much dependant on being able to sell the electricity. That’s the big work ahead.”

“So it’s a relatively slow period, we are still working, but there is some uncertainty obviously about when we can construct the project.” he added

While they wait for clean power Request for Proposals from BC Hydro, Bruche says they are “not holding their breath”, and are talking to the LNG companies to see if they are interested.

“Several of them are quite interested in using clean and renewable electricity. But obviously they are in the lead and they also have to be very mindful of their costs.”

Bruche says companies like the idea of being able to say they are using clean power for their LNG infrastructure, adding that there is an advantage through carbon credits.

“It’s definitely an option, but not one that has resulted in an agreement yet.”

He says that work of the provincial environmental assessment certificate is ongoing.