Upper Nicola Band members vote to build BC’s largest solar farm

Apr 17, 2018 | 12:36 PM

MERRITT — Upper Nicola Indian Band members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of proceeding with a $30 million solar project.

A referendum was held Monday with members voting 92 per cent in support of the project.

Chief Harvey McLeod notes he wasn’t too surprised with the result.

“I was just hoping the people heard the messaging that we’ve been giving over the last year-and-a-half,” he says. “And I feel confident that they heard us and hence the result of the referendum.”

The solar panels will be spread across 200 acres of land on reserve, generating power for the community and the region and earning up to $2 million per year in revenues for the band, as it plans to sell some of the surplus power to BC Hydro.

The project will offer 80 construction jobs and two permanent positions to run the solar farm, which will be the largest in the province.

The band has a 50-50 split in costs and revenues in the project with Fortis BC, although there is opportunity for other Okanagan First Nations to join. Chief McLeod says his band will need to invest $3.1 million in the project to get if off the ground.

He believes the project will give his community a better lifestyle by helping it to address housing, health, education and social needs.

McLeod says the timeline moving forward involves the need for Crown approvals at the federal level to designate reserve land for the purpose of business development. He expects that to occur by this summer or fall and is hoping shovels will be in the ground by next spring.

McLeod calls it “ironic” that the solar project is across the valley from the Kinder Morgan pipeline.

“How beautiful is this? This is because we have 21st Century thinking in a solar form. One day, we’re going to replace the pipeline. We as citizens of the province and Canada will be looking at new sources of energy other than petroleum.”