Meeting the Challenge
As our province's population and economy continue to grow, so does our demand for electricity. While B.C. was once self-sufficient, we have been relying on power imports to meet up to 15% of electricity needs over the past six years.
This gap between demand and supply is expected to widen as demand increases a projected 25-45% in B.C. over the next two decades.
Hydroelectric power in a growing province
Clean, abundant electricity has been, and will continue to be, a key to B.C.'s economic prosperity and our quality of life. By planning ahead, we can ensure that future generations of British Columbians also enjoy the benefits of low-cost, clean and reliable power.
In the two decades that followed the creation of BC Hydro in 1961, B.C. undertook some of the most ambitious hydroelectric construction projects in the world. These large-scale dams, notably on the Peace and Columbia rivers, provide an electricity supply to British Columbians that is 90 per cent clean.
B.C.'s existing hydroelectric projects, however, will not be enough to meet anticipated demand. Today, we already consume more electricity than we generate, and we buy more electricity than we sell. We have had to lean increasingly on imported electricity – not all of it clean – to meet our demands..
Learn about the electricity gap in B.C.
