Deal reached to save power plant crucial to Williams Lake economy [Video]

The province, BC Hydro and a private energy company have inked a deal to save a power plant in Williams Lake that runs on waste wood.

The Atlantic Power facility generates enough electricity to power about 50,000 homes by burning biomass and is responsible for about 40 full-time jobs. It’s also the single biggest taxpayer to the City of Williams Lake, responsible for about $1.7 million in city coffers every year.

Atlantic Power gave notice last February that it was going to pull out of the community, citing an inability to remain profitable under its current contract with BC Hydro due to a lack of cost-effective local fibre.

On Friday, BC Hydro said it had worked out a solution with the company, and that Atlantic Power had rescinded its termination notice for its power purchase agreement with BC Hydro.