AltaGas Announces Start-Up of 16 MW Volcano Creek Hydro Facility

AltaGas today announced that it has started producing power at its 16 megawatt (MW) Volcano Creek run-of-river hydroelectric facility. Commissioning of the powerhouse systems and high voltage switchyard were completed in November and the facility is now tied-in and delivering power to the Northwest Transmission Line at Bob Quinn, British Columbia.

"We are pleased to announce the safe commissioning of Volcano Creek two years ahead of schedule and on budget," said David Cornhill, Chairman and CEO of AltaGas. "This was made possible by the outstanding contributions of our dedicated employees and contractors, the Tahltan First Nation, BC Hydro and the Government of British Columbia."

Over the next several weeks a number of online electrical and system functional checks will be performed. AltaGas expects final project commercial operations to be achieved by the end of the fourth quarter 2014, weather and river conditions permitting.

The Volcano Creek facility is supported by a 60-year, fully indexed Electricity Purchase Agreement with BC Hydro.