Keppel Gate Policy Blog

With First Nations, BC, and Canada aligned in the vision of driving new investment in clean electricity, but CleanBC highlighting the fact that no comprehensive plan towards achieving such a vision has been identified, the time is now for government to get serious with regard to policy. The Plan set out here provides such an opportunity. Moving forward, Government should instruct the relevant ministries and BC Hydro to work with First Nations, industry and environmental interests to establish the mechanisms necessary to study, develop, and, where viable, implement the policies discussed in this Plan.

The first two policy actions in this Plan served to build a model for electrification. As previously discussed however, adequate electrification policy will not just build an organizational framework, but also account for the supply and demand considerations of a move towards broad-based electrification. These third and fourth policy actions work to accomplish this, and to ensure the Plan is tenable to all parties.

Critical to a successful plan of electrification is the thoughtful development of an organizational framework that provides the plan with needed structure. Our plan focuses on two specific policy actions, the creation of a “Special Economic Zone”, and the establishment of a “Northwest Power Authority” that work to achieve this.

Electrification of industry could provide a platform for BC to achieve the goals of First Nations reconciliation, GHG reductions and economic development. Successful electrification, however, is not possible without adequate policy that creates a framework capable of success. Critical to the implementation of a successful electrification plan is policy that gives adequate consideration to the supply and demand implications of electrifying industry, as well as political and economic considerations. The Plan explores how achievement of the aforementioned goals is possible.

Further research and evaluation is needed to address several assumptions that have tended to contradict the viability or attractiveness of the policy actions suggested by the Plan. Strong evidence would suggest that these assumptions would benefit from careful consideration.