Lake Country Hydro generation Plant is a Winner…Again!

We have been just notified that the District of Lake Country is the recipient of the 2011 'Project of the Year Award' for the 2011 Clean Energy Awards. This is an annual competition held and administered by Clean Energy BC, which is a not-for-profit provincial organization whose mandate is to develop a viable independent power industry in British Columbia that serves the public interest by providing cost-effective electricity through the efficient and environmentally responsible development of the Province's energy resources. 

Since 1992, the Clean Energy Association of British Columbia (formerly the Independent Power Producers of British Columbia) has been the voice of Clean Energy Producers in BC, to government and the public - when the members (and non-members alike) have chosen to send a collective signal. Also, government policy makers invite Clean Energy BC's input as they prefer principle-driven (versus project-driven) perspectives and the efficiency and fairness of finding an industry consensus position. Clean Energy BC has been active in advocacy with government electricity policy formulation, regulatory processes, permitting procedures, BC Hydro procurement, BCTC services, media coverage, informing the public, local and First Nations governments and resource users throughout BC.

The District is very proud of this accomplishment and for good reasons. This is the second provincial award given to the District on this project: the first time, the Hydro Generation Plant received a Union of British Columbia Municipalities award in 2009.

Once the bills are all paid, the revenue generated by the sale of electricity to BC Hydro will go to a reserve to assist with capital projects with 'green' blueprint. We are estimating an average of $350,000 a year, which equates to a bit more than a 4% tax increase. Not bad for return on investment in the public sector and no wonder the project has won two awards already.

I wish to thank Council, Jack Allingham, who worked on this project since the beginning, and Randy Rose, the Administrator at the time, for their vision and effort to make this vision come true.

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