The East Toba and Montrose Project consists of two renewable green power projects under construction at the headwaters of the Toba Inlet on the East Toba River and Montrose Creek. Installed capacity of the two projects will be 196 MW with expected average energy generation of 745 GW.h/yr. When built, these projects will have the potential to produce enough electricity for approximately 75,000 homes and will potentially displace an estimated 455,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases (GHG) annually. This is the equivalent of taking about 90,000 cars off the road per year or planting about 60,000 hectares of trees.*

Interconnection of the two projects to the BC Transmission Corporation (BCTC) grid will be at a location on the northeast side of Jervis Inlet where a new substation will be built at Saltery Bay. From this substation, a 230 kV transmission line will extend in a roughly northward direction to the top of Toba Inlet, then northeast to the two generating facilities. Routing of the transmission line has been engineered to utilize, to the greatest extent possible, an extensive pre-existing network of logging roads covering the proposed corridor in order to reduce costs and environmental disturbance.

It is estimated that total construction costs of the project will be approximately $500 million. With the addition of insurance, interest during construction and other project costs, the final capital costs for the project are estimated at $660 million. The construction phase of the project is expected to create over 800 person-years of employment. Peter Kiewit Sons are the general contractor for the project. The operations phase, beginning in early 2010, will provide over 400 person-years of employment.

Operation of the project will begin in 2010.

*Based upon 0.34 T/MWh Co2 emissions for a gas fired plant and 1.0 T/MWh for a coal fired plant displacement with a 50/50 coal/gas split and 6.5 tonnes of Co2 absorbed per hectare of trees/year.

Project Benefits

Environmental Benefits

• Zero GHG (Green House Gas) emissions
• No pollution or wastes created
• Displaces energy produced by "brown" (oil, gas & coal) sources
• Energy produced from a renewable resource (rainwater)
• Small environmental footprint
• Low visual impact
• Little impact on fish, vegetation, bird or wildlife habitat

*For a scorecord as to comparable energy technologies and their impacts on the environment click here.

Social and Economic Benefits

• Creates economic activity remote areas
• Project co-ownership opportunities created for First Nations
• Business venture opportunities created for First Nations and local communities
• Employment opportunities created for First Nations and local communities
• Local tax revenue generated
• Construction and long term jobs created
• Helps reduce British Columbia's reliance on electricity imports from Alberta and the U.S.

East Toba and Montrose Project Maps

 

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