Fort Nelson long-term resource planning

We're planning for Fort Nelson's electricity future

We're developing a long-term resource plan for the Fort Nelson area. This plan will consider demand and supply for electricity as well as evolving energy policies and uncertainties in the Fort Nelson region over the next 20 years.

We gathered feedback through a series of community meetings and an online survey and incorporated that into our plan. On June 14, 2024, we submitted the plan to the B.C. Utilities Commission (BCUC) for regulatory review.

Read the plan

Thanks for being part of the long-term resource planning process.
 

Timeline

Five things to know about the 2024 Fort Nelson Long-term Resource Plan

1. We plan to supply the Fort Nelson region with low-carbon power by the early 2040s. There isn't a clear best resource option at this time, so our plan focuses on further investigations, studies, and monitoring before any decisions are made. 
   
   
2. We'll gather more information on low-carbon power solutions for the Fort Nelson region. We’ll do this by: 
   • Advancing a geothermal pilot project that builds on work already underway with the Tu-Deh-Kah geothermal project; and
   • Investigating carbon capture technology as it relates to the Fort Nelson Generating Station. 
      
3. We'll monitor and assess developments of other resource options such as renewable fuels. This includes exploring partnerships with other industry parties to capture, store and utilize greenhouse gases, and reviewing biomass opportunities.
    
4. We've consulted with First Nations, and engaged with the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, and the broader community of Fort Nelson. We've learned that affordability, energy security and reliable power are important issues for local groups. We've also heard that there’s a strong interest in economic growth driven by developments in the energy sector.
    
5. We expect our next long-term resource plan to take place by 2032. Over the coming years, we’ll monitor changes in electricity demand and industrial activity to gather more information. This will inform our decision making for the next planning cycle.
   
   

Emergency preparedness planning

In the summer of 2023 and in spring 2024, unprecedented wildfires impacted the electricity system in the Fort Nelson region. Currently, our operations team is working on enhancements to ensure energy security and emergency response programs are prepared for future climate events.
 

Fort Nelson's current power sources

The Fort Nelson region currently has two power sources: the Fort Nelson Generating Station and a long transmission line connecting to the Alberta electrical system. Each power source on their own has enough capacity to serve the community demand over the planning horizon. If one supply is unavailable, the community is served with the other supply.

The figure below shows how much electricity demand we expect over the next 20 years as well as the supply available. We expect to have enough power to serve our customers' future electricity demand over the next 20 years in Fort Nelson.

Exploring a low-carbon future

Long-term electricity planning looks out over the next three to 20 years. We're seeing an increase in policies and regulations being implemented to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and these policies may affect the operations of our natural gas-fired Fort Nelson Generating Station. Future government policies may limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. To prepare for this, we're exploring what future renewable options are available to meet the electricity needs of the Fort Nelson region.

How the plan is reviewed

The Fort Nelson long-term resource plan is reviewed by the B.C. Utilities Commission (BCUC). Currently, the information included in the plan is specified in section 44.1(2) of the Utilities Commission Act.

The BCUC’s Resource Planning Guidelines provide general guidance regarding Commission expectations of the process and methods for utilities to follow in developing plans that reflect their specific circumstances. The guidelines also state that “[t]he Commission will review resource plans in the context of the unique circumstances of the utility in question.” While we expect the Fort Nelson Long-Term Resource Plan will meet the requirements of section 44.1(2), the level of analysis and information included in the plan will reflect the relatively smaller scale of resource planning for Fort Nelson compared to the integrated system.
 

Reports and documents

Below are the reports and documents related to the development of the Fort Nelson long-term resource plan.

Get email updates

Sign up for email updates on Fort Nelson long-term electricity planning.

BC Hydro is collecting your personal information for the purpose of establishing a contact list to keep you informed about our Fort Nelson Long-term Resource Plan initiative (framework and plan) and engagement activities. Your personal information is collected under the authority of Section 26 (c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for B.C. If you have any questions concerning how your personal information is handled, or to update your information or unsubscribe, please contact the Fort Nelson Long-term Resource Plan Project Team Administrator at energy.planning@bchydro.com.

Contact us

If you'd like more information about this plan or the BCUC process and how to participate, contact us at energy.planning@bchydro.com.