Community Energy System Update

By 250 News

Prince George, B.C. -  Following the announcement that Prince George will get  a big chunk of change for a community energy system, the Manager of the Utilities  Division has presented an update of the project to City Council.

Marco Fornari says the City will receive $5.3 million dollars from the  Canada, B.C. Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund  for the  community energy system. The energy system has an $8.3 million dollar price tag.

The People’s Action Committee for Healthy Air (PACHA)  raised concerns about  adding PM 2.5 to the airshed, ( see  PACHA Sees Red Over Green Energy Plant)and  wants to know if the plan  will also mean  more heavy truck traffic in the bowl area.  PACHA also  called for an environmental review.  

When it comes to truck traffic, the Utilities Manager says  the plant will require  a B train about every three or four days

The system will   have to undergo  assessment  from the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, but will  not have to have a permit from the Provincial Ministry of the Environment because it will be producing less than 1 tonne of  pm 2.5  per  year.  The emissions will be monitored regularly to ensure the plant is not exceeding the planned 2.5 kgs of PM 2.5 per day.

Fornari’s report to Council says the  central plant will  produce about 2.5 kg per day for a 350 day operating year.

According to Fornari, that emission amount  is the same as the daily emissions produced by  8 transit buses per day, or  the daily emissions from a City of P.G. lawnmower over the course  of  the summer.

"We may be putting  less than one tonne into the air, but we have to  remember we are removing three  tonnes, so there is a benefit."says Mayor Kinsley.   He is also in favour of future development that would see the plant producing electricity.

Fornari can’t speculate on when the construction of such an energy system might start as  there is no clear  time line for the Environmental Assessment  Approval  process .

Consultation has already begun  with some initial discussions with PACHA, the Air Quality  Steering Committee, and the  Air Quality Improvement Implemntation committee  and plans  are being developed for community consultation .

Councillor Don Zurowski   worries that perhaps the  full information on the system  hasn't been  delivered to the community.  He was particularly  interested in the concerns of the  residents of the Millar Addition. 

"This is something to celebrate" says Mayor Colin Kinsley, "I think its a real good story but we  just have to make sure the facts are presented."

Fornari says the energy system will initially be providing heat, and  some time down the road, there may be an effort to expand the system to provide  electricity.  That depends on the Province granting access to the power grid and  to this point  the Province hasn't being  willing to  do that.

Councilor Don Basserman says  the community energy system and the work of the Regional District to capture the methane gas  at the Foothills landfill site  are significant  projects "These projects will put us way out there in demonstrating to the world that this is a community that  really cares about what they're doing and how they're doing it."

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