Kelowna businessman Brad Bennett will replace Stephen Bellringer as the next chair of the BC Hydro board of directors.
“Brad Bennett’s longstanding passion for reliable, affordable electricity has served the BC Hydro board – and all British Columbians – well for three years. He’ll bring that same dedication, business experience, and acumen to his new role,” said Premier Christy Clark.
“It will take someone of Brad’s ability to follow Stephen Bellringer, who has guided BC Hydro through an unparalleled period of renewal,including the approval of the Site C Clean Energy Project, the largest infrastructure project in the history of our province.”
Bennett is president of McIntosh Properties Ltd., a real estate and private equity investment company. In addition to the BC Hydro board he has served on a number of public and private company boards and his previous public service positions include chair of the University of British Columbia, chair of Okanagan University College (now Okanagan College), and chair of the Kelowna General Hospital Foundation.
Stephen Bellringer has served as BC Hydro chair since November 2012 and as chair of the Powerex board since October 2014. Prior to that he had served on the BC Hydro board as director for nine years over two separate terms.
In addition to the final investment decision to proceed with the Site C dam, Bellringer has overseen the launch of a capital plan that will re-invest over $2 -billion a year in BC Hydro’s aging system, and the release of an Integrated Resource Plan which maps BC Hydro’s future needs for the next generation.
Also during his term, BC Hydro completed the Northwest Transmission Line, which is opening new economic opportunity in British Columbia’s northwest region, installed and commissioned a fifth generating unit at the Mica dam and generating station, and began the modernization of the BC Hydro electricity grid.
