Construction has begun on the North Coast Transmission Line (NCTL), a major project intended to increase electricity capacity in northern B.C. and help power planned mining, liquefied natural gas and other industrial projects.
Premier David Eby was in Prince George on Thursday to celebrate the project’s groundbreaking, along with federal Energy Minister Tim Hodgson, federal Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson and other officials.
Eby called the transmission line a generational project for the province.
“That transmission line will feed local communities, energy projects, mining projects, and industrial projects between here, Prince George, and Terrace. And ultimately we hope it will go up into the
territories to support our neighbors to the north as well,” said Eby.
Hodgson said the project plays a role in Canada’s strategy to become less dependent on the U.S. amid the ongoing Canada-U.S. trade war.
“I always live by the the motto of don’t get mad, get even, and so nothing would make me happier than when the United States asks us for more electricity to say, ‘You know what, we’ve got a lot of mines we need to develop in northern British Columbia,” he said.
The federal government is providing $3.9 billion in funding for the first two phases of the project, which is estimated to cost $6 billion in total.
Phases 1 and 2 involve twinning the existing transmission line between Prince George and Terrace. A planned third phase would extend north of Terrace to the Bob Quinn substation.
B.C. passed legislation in the spring to fast-track the project. Bill 31 effectively gives Cabinet more power to decide which industrial clients and projects can tap into the province’s energy grid, and enables First Nation’s co-ownership of the transmission line.
The province said the 2,200-megawatt transmission line is expected to create about 9,700 full-time jobs and contribute nearly $10 billion annually to B.C.’s GDP.
It also claims the project would reduce emissions by up to three-million tonnes a year, as more businesses are able to use hydroelectric power rather than fossil fuels.
B.C. Hydro President and CEO Charlotte Mitha said the majority of construction materials and labour will be sourced from Canada, with the exception of some specialty equipment that will come from Japan or South Korea.
Phase 1 is expected to be complete by mid-2030.
Construction of Phase 2 is anticipated to begin next year and be complete by late 2032.
The proposed Ksi Lisims LNG export facility and the Red Chris mine expansion are among the projects that would be powered by the NCTL.
They have all been referred by Prime Minister Mark Carney to the federal Major Projects Office for potential fast-tracking.
