British Columbia's effort to promote its hydroelectric energy exports to California as green power is failing.

The California senate last week rejected calls by electrical utilities in the state to amend a renewable energy bill to incorporate power from sources such as run-of-river hydro from B.C. as part of their obligation to generate 33 per cent of retail electricity sales from renewable sources by 2020.

Pacific Gas & Electric, in particular, sees B.C. power as central to a $4-billion B.C.-to-California transmission system upgrade carrying an enormous quantity of supposedly green power -- equivalent to half of B.C.'s present generating capacity -- to the state by 2016.

PG&E's promotion of supposedly green B.C. power is a central aspect of the provincial government's plan to develop the province as a major exporter of renewable energy.

However, the presence of a willing buyer who can pay premium prices for green power is critical to B.C.'s initiative, particularly in the massive California electricity market.

Western Canada Wilderness Committee national campaign director Joe Foy said the California senators' decision confirms his group's misgivings about run-of-river power.

The wilderness committee is a vocal opponent of the large-scale drive to develop run-of-river power resources under the umbrella of BC Hydro's power acquisition mandate on the premise that it's causing unnecessary damage to streams and forested areas.

"Once again this so-called run of river, this river diversion power, has been been judged and been found not to be green," Foy said. "The environmental footprint is too big.

"They tried to wiggle it past the Californians and were unsuccessful. Californians had a closer look."

The senate opted for a regulation that disqualifies hydro projects producing more than 30 megawatts -- new B.C. projects are typically 50 megawatts or larger. The senate bill is now being reviewed by the California state assembly and a final decision could be months away.

The wilderness committee obtained a letter to the assembly from B.C. Environment Minister Barry Penner who is attempting to assure legislators that power from this province is subject to a thorough environmental review.

"The only reason we're buying it [in B.C.] is that we are being forced to buy it. I think the only one who sees it as green power is our own government," Foy said.

In an interview, Penner said he wrote the letter to counter allegations raised by environmental groups which are urging California legislators to hold firm to their existing standards.

Penner said California's decision to increase its use of renewable energy was "laudable."

He said he wrote the letter to detail, in four single-spaced pages, the extent of environmental scrutiny to which run-of-river projects are subject in B.C.

"There was what I believed to be a misinformation campaign, spilling over from the ideological debate here in B.C. about having the private sector involved in renewable energy," Penner said.

"I wanted to set the record straight. I had seen some e-mails about what people were saying about British Columbia and it was not true. I felt we needed to stand up for British Columbia."

ssimpson@vancouversun.com

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