Natural gas

In order to feed the growing number of natural gas fired power plants in the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia is expanding its oil and gas exploration, production and processing.

As a result, greenhouse gas emissions from this industry are rapidly increasing.

Since 1990, BC Hydro’s greenhouse gas emissions have increased by 64 per cent – from 914 kilotonnes to 2.27 megatonnes by 2000. Under current BC Hydro projections, total greenhouse gas emissions are likely to reach 5 to 7 megatonnes as a result of the move to natural gas.

BC Hydro is also planning to build two new gas-fired power plants. There is currently one gas-fired power plant in Campbell River on Vancouver Island. Two more are in planning stages: one is going through a contentious sitting process and is slated to be built in Nanaimo; the location of the other one has not yet been determined.

The proposed power plant in Nanaimo will release 923,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases per year, the same amount as 271,000 cars.

As well, the true financial impacts of BC Hydro’s Vancouver Island generation project aren’t known. According to the most recent financial reports from BC Hydro, the cost for the gas plant has increased from $200 million to $370 million.

As part of the project, BC Hydro, in partnership with Williams Gas Pipeline Company, is proposing to build a new natural gas pipeline to Vancouver Island. The purpose of the pipeline is to transport natural gas to the existing power plan in Campbell River and the two new power plants. Although neither of the two new plants have been successfully sited, the pipeline is currently undergoing a joint federal environmental and energy regulatory review. This adds another $322 million to the costs of BC Hydro’s power projects.

The David Suzuki Foundation has been an active participant in that review process. The Foundation has provided written affidavit evidence on the greenhouse gas emissions that will be produced by power plants serviced by this pipeline.

The fact that Canada has ratified the Kyoto Protocol means BC Hydro will have to lower the greenhouse gas emissions from its projects. Even Hydro’s chair, Larry Bell, has said that investments in efficiency to avoid new projects cost less and are easier on the environment.

Greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution are the two largest environmental impacts of gas-fired power plants.

Water consumption and wastewater discharge are also significant issues, as large amounts of clean water are needed for steam generation, if the plant is a cogenertion unit, and for cooling.

Natural gas pipelines, the upstream emissions associated with producing and processing the gas, and the development of electrical transmission corridors add to their total environmental impact.