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Company looks at Allan Creek power project

Allan Creek flows into the Albreda River, which in turn flows into the North Thompson River at between Blue River and Valemount
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Times Staff

Thompson-Nicola Regional District has been advised of an application for an investigative license to determine the viability of waterpower generation facilities on Allan Creek.

Staff delivered the report to the TNRD board during a board meeting held June 15.

Allan Creek flows into the Albreda River, which in turn flows into the North Thompson River at Gosnell between Blue River and Valemount.

The applicant, Allan Creek Power Corporation, is seeking permission to collect baseline information and conduct environmental studies within a Crown Land investigative area.

The information would include fish and fish habitat, water quality, rare and endangered plants, hydrometric and discharge measurement sites, and watershed hydrology.

The applicant proposes to upgrade an existing trail and to construct two new sections of trail suitable for quads.

The report to the TNRD board was for information only.

The directors were advised by staff that the project would go through numerous referrals to local government and area residents as it progresses through the process.

If and when an application for a permit to construct works is submitted and the scope, size, impact, tenure and so on of the project is known, then a more detailed report would be forwarded to the board for consideration and resolution in response to the specifics of the referral.

A number of small scale hydro projects are being investigated in the North Thompson watershed. However, it appears that only one is presently producing power – the 19 MW Bone Creek facility north of Blue River, which is owned by Sorgente.e, an Italian company that specializes in developing hydro and wind power projects around the world.

The Bone Creek power plant opened in 2011.