Powell River Energy export designated for licensing

Summary#

The Governor in Council issued an order on February 26, 2026 that moves Powell River Energy Inc.’s electricity export application (filed August 15, 2025) into the licensing track under the Canadian Energy Regulator Act. Practically, this means the Commission of the Canada Energy Regulator can fully review the application with more options—including holding public hearings, asking for more information, imposing conditions, or rejecting the proposal.

What it does#

• Designates Powell River Energy Inc.’s August 15, 2025 export application to be assessed under the CER licensing process (rather than the simpler permitting route).
• The application asks to export the output of two facilities for 30-year terms, up to 700,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) per year, to affiliate buyer BR Pacific Hydro Power LLC.
• The licensing route allows the Commission of the Canada Energy Regulator to:
  • hold a public hearing if it chooses;
  • seek information from parties beyond the applicant;
  • impose terms and conditions (which would need Governor in Council approval);
  • refuse the application after review.
• The Commission recommended this designation after receiving many submissions and reviewing details including the sales contracts and answers from the applicant.

Who's affected#

• Powell River Energy Inc. (the applicant) and its parent Brookfield Renewable.
• The U.S. buyer, BR Pacific Hydro Power LLC.
• Local communities near the Powell River and Lois Lake generating facilities.
• Electricity buyers and utilities in British Columbia and nearby markets, including BC Hydro.
• Tla’amin Nation, which submitted comments.
• Members of the public who submitted views—about 2,500 submissions, mostly opposing the application.
• The Canada Energy Regulator and its Commission, which will run the licensing review.

Why it matters#

• The licensing process opens the door to public input and a fuller review. That matters because the proposal would export a large share of electricity from local facilities for a long time (30-year contracts).
• Stakeholders raised concerns about scale, length, and fair access for Canadian buyers. The designation lets the Commission examine those issues more closely.
• The order does not authorize exports yet. It only changes how the application will be reviewed.
• The Commission says there is no new construction tied to this decision, so no new environmental impacts are expected.