The largest of five diesel generators at BC Hydro’s Anahim Lake Generating Station is being converted to use mostly liquefied natural gas (LNG) in hopes of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fuel costs.
The three-year pilot project, which will commence in the fall of 2016, has an option for a one-year extension and could become a more permanent solution, said Hamid Tamehi of NIA Engineering team lead with BC Hydro during a teleconference with the Cariboo Regional District board Friday.
“We expect there will be significant reductions, and hope to run the plant on more than 60 per cent natural gas following the pilot.”
Part of the project will see an LNG partner build, own and operate an LNG storage facility on the property.
The partner will also build, own and operate vaporizers used to heat LNG and convert it back into natural gas.
Once the new infrastructure is in place, it is anticipated that one tanker truck carry around 40,000 litres of LNG will travel along Highway 20 from Williams Lake to the Anahim Lake Generating Plant every 10 days.
When Williams Lake Mayor Walt Cobb asked why the community isn’t being connected to the hydro grid, Tamehi said converting the generating plant to using LNG is a “fraction” of the cost.
