Powering growth in Surrey with clean, affordable electricity

SURREY - BC Hydro will construct approximately $1 billion in capital projects in Surrey over the next decade to upgrade and expand the electricity grid and provide clean power for homes, businesses and growing electrification and transportation needs.

"We must build out B.C.'s electrical system like never before to power our homes and businesses, to power a growing economy and to power our future," said Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. "In Surrey, throughout the Lower Mainland and in communities across B.C., these construction projects will create thousands of good jobs over the next decade and ensure that people have access to clean, affordable and reliable electricity, when they need it and where they need it."

In January, the Province announced BC Hydro's updated 10-year capital plan, which contains $36 billion in regional and community infrastructure investments throughout B.C., for a 50% increase in investments over its previous capital plan. These new construction projects are forecast to support 10,500 to 12,500 jobs on average annually, and will increase and maintain BC Hydro's capital investments as major projects, such as the Site C hydroelectric dam, are completed.

The plan reflects growing demand for electricity across sectors due to population growth and housing construction, and increased industrial development, as well as people and businesses switching from fossil fuels to clean electricity, among other factors.

"In growing cities like Surrey, where we are seeing substantial housing, building, transportation and industrial growth, we are embarking on significant upgrades to our electricity system, including investments in our transmission lines, new and expanded substation projects as well as major distribution investments to support underground and overhead infrastructure extensions to ensure we can continue to provide reliable and clean electricity to our customers," said Chris O'Riley, president and CEO, BC Hydro. "We are also making important changes to our customer connections process to speed up timelines for newly constructed homes and buildings."

Surrey is expected to become the biggest city in B.C. by 2029 and is seeing significant growth across residential, mixed-use and light-industrial sectors in City Centre and the Clayton and Campbell heights communities.

To meet record growth in these areas, BC Hydro is investing in several projects as part its 10-Year Capital Plan, including:

• building a new substation in Surrey Centre that will power 20,000 to 35,000 homes and be in service by the end of 2032;
• redeveloping the Scott Road substation with upgrades to the transmission connection to power an additional 10,000 to 17,500 homes by 2032;
• expanding the McLellan substation in two phases that are expected to be in service in 2026 and 2028, and will power an additional 40,000 to 70,000 homes; and
• building a new substation in Campbell Heights that will also power 20,000 to 35,000 homes and be in service by 2032.

In addition to these major projects, Surrey will also benefit from an additional $700-million investment to reinforce the transmission system, which will improve reliability and increase capacity across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Some of these key projects include:

• the Metro South Transmission project will reinforce the transmission system connecting Ingledow substation in Surrey to substations in Vancouver, Burnaby and Richmond;
• the Fraser Valley Transmission project will upgrade the transmission connections in Surrey, Abbotsford and Chilliwack to provide additional capacity; and
• the Fraser Valley Capacitive Reinforcement project will add equipment at McLellan and Clayburn stations to ensure reliable energy supply across the region.

Investments are also being made in transmission and distribution infrastructure to enable operation of the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain. That work is expected to be completed by spring 2025.

BC Hydro's 10-year capital plan is a key part of Powering Our Future: B.C.'s Clean Energy Strategy. The strategy focuses on building an economy powered by clean energy, creating new jobs and opportunities, and keeping electricity affordable.

BC Hydro also recently launched a call for power to acquire approximately 3,000 gigawatt hours per year (GWh/y) of clean electricity. This is BC Hydro's first competitive call for power in more than 15 years and will add 5% to its current supply, and will be the first in a series of calls for power as BC Hydro requires more power to electrify B.C.'s growing economy and reduce harmful pollution.

Quotes:

Rachna Singh, MLA for Surrey-Green Timbers -

"This significant investment by BC Hydro is crucial for Surrey. As our city continues to grow rapidly, these upgrades and expansions will ensure that our residents and businesses have access to reliable and clean electricity. This not only supports our economic development, but also aligns with our commitment to a sustainable and clean economy. I'm proud to see these upgrades coming to Surrey."

Brenda Locke, mayor of Surrey -

"As Surrey continues to grow at a rapid pace, it is essential that we have a reliable and clean energy supply to power our homes, businesses, and transportation needs. I am pleased to see BC Hydro investing $1 billion in capital projects in Surrey over the next decade, which will help meet our growing demand for electricity. This investment is a critical step toward creating a sustainable future for our community and I look forward to working with BC Hydro to make it a reality."

Anita Huberman, president and CEO, Surrey Board of Trade -

"The Surrey Board of Trade has been advocating for increased electricity capacity for businesses to drive our economy forward. BC Hydro's investment in Surrey, as part of their overall $36-billion, 10-year capital plan, will help ensure we will be ready to be the largest city in B.C. in five years. Grid capacity and storage infrastructure through technology innovation will be scaled up to accommodate and support Surrey's diverse industry base."

Anne McMullin, president and CEO, Urban Development Institute -

"The Urban Development Institute has been strongly supportive of BC Hydro's commitment to fund $5 billion of distribution infrastructure over the next decade in high growth areas to ensure new housing and businesses will have timely connections to power. We are pleased that $1 billion will be invested in Surrey, one of the fastest-growing large cities in the country. This investment is critical for the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain and to allow builders to deliver the needed homes and job spaces in the City Centre, Clayton, Campbell Heights and other fast-growing areas of Surrey."

Quick Facts:

• Currently, 98% of the power generated for B.C.'s integrated grid comes from clean or renewable resources, making B.C. a leader in North America when it comes to clean energy.
• Electricity demand in B.C. is expected to increase by 15% or more between now and 2030.
• BC Hydro has kept rate increases below the rate of inflation for six years in a row.
• B.C. has the second-lowest residential electricity rates in North America and the third-lowest commercial and industrial rates.
• BC Hydro was a net exporter of electricity for the past five years (2019-23), with the majority of imports coming from dedicated clean sources of electricity.

Learn More:

To view BC Hydro's 10-year capital plan, Power Pathway: Building BC's energy future, visit:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/CS-4307-CapitalPlan_LTR.pdf

To view a graph of BC Hydro's planned capital spending, visit:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/CS-4307-CapitalExpenditures_Chart.pdf

For details on BC Hydro's call for power, visit:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023EMLI0036-000941

To read Powering Our Future: B.C.'s Clean Energy Strategy, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content?id=E28B86DD48CC469684A9401B54087682

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