Teck Metals applies to export electricity

Summary#

Teck Metals Ltd. applied on 26 September 2023 to the Canada Energy Regulator for permission to export up to 3,000,000 MWh of electricity a year to the United States for 10 years. The regulator is asking the public and other interested parties for comments before deciding whether to issue a permit or move to a licensing process.

What it does#

• Requests authorization to export up to 3,000,000 MWh of combined firm and interruptible energy annually for 10 years.
• Identifies Canadian generation and transmission assets linked to the application, including:
  • Waneta Hydroelectric Generating Station (Trail, British Columbia)
  • SunMine Solar Energy Facility (Kimberley, British Columbia)
  • Waneta Switching Station and Emerald Switching Station (Trail, British Columbia)
  • Four 60 kV transmission lines between those switching stations
  • Line 71, a 230 kV transmission line from Waneta Hydro to the U.S., also interconnected to BC Hydro at Nelway Station
• The Canada Energy Regulator is inviting written submissions on the application and on specific questions about effects across provinces and opportunities given to Canadian buyers.
• The application can be requested from Teck Metals Ltd. (email provided in the notice) and is available on the CER website.
• Deadline for written submissions is 26 October 2023. Any answers from the applicant to submissions must be filed by 10 November 2023.

Who's affected#

• Teck Metals Ltd. (the applicant) and its affiliates that own or operate the listed facilities.
• Electricity buyers and utilities in Canada — especially in British Columbia — who may compete for or be affected by electricity sales and exports.
• The Canada Energy Regulator, which will assess cross‑province effects and whether Canadian buyers had a fair chance to purchase the electricity.
• Other stakeholders who monitor cross‑border electricity flows, including provincial regulators and market participants.
• It is unclear from the notice whether specific Indigenous communities or other local groups are directly affected; the regulator’s public process is the place to raise such concerns.

Why it matters#

• Large exports can change how much electricity stays in Canada and under what conditions it is sold. That could affect local supply, market competition, and prices in some cases.
• The regulator wants to know whether provinces other than the one supplying the power would be affected. That matters because electricity systems and markets are mostly managed at the provincial level.
• The public comment process gives affected buyers and local actors a chance to ask for access to the electricity on similar terms before exports are approved.
• This is an application, not a permit. The regulator will decide after reviewing submissions and the information provided.