The utility had planned to wrap up the call in June, but got permission from the BC Utilities Commission to wait until four weeks after the regulator rules on its 2008 long-term acquisition plan (LTAP). BC Hydro had originally planned to buy 5000 GWh of firm energy a year, but last December filed an amendment to the LTAP asking the commission to allow it to slash that to 3000 GWh a year, citing an expected drop in demand over the next 24 months (WINDPOWER MONTHLY, February 2009). The oral phase of the utility commission's hearing into the long-term plan began on June 1. BC Hydro received proposals from 43 companies for 69 projects with a combined capacity of about 7000 MW and a total firm energy output of more than 17,000 GWh a year. Nineteen of the proposals are for wind farms with total firm energy of about 8000 GWh a year.
Wind wire: BC Hydro bids
BC Hydro is delaying the announcement of winning bids in its current call for clean power until it gets a decision from the British Columbia electricity market regulator on just how much it has to buy.
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