The province and the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation have signed a revenue-sharing deal that will see the First Nation receive an estimated $17,000 per year over the life of the Skookum Creek Power Project.
The 25-megawatt runof-the-river hydroelectric project is located on Skookum Creek, about 12 kilometres east of Squamish. It began commercial operations in May and is expected to generate enough energy to power
some 8,400 homes and offset up to 71,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide when compared with coal-fired turbine generation.
Developed by the Skookum Creek Power Partnership - a joint venture between Concord Green Energy and Run of River Power Inc. - the project has an expected 40-year operating life.
"Sharing resource revenues from sustainable, clean energy development on our traditional territory is a positive step forward and these projects will provide economic benefits to our communities for many years to come," said Tsleil-Waututh Nation Chief Maureen Thomas in a press release.
The revenue-sharing agreement is backed by the province's First Nations Clean Energy Business Fund.
Last year, the Squamish Nation also signed an agreement to share provincial revenue from the Skookum Creek Power Project.
The Squamish Nation recently inked another deal with the province to share revenue from the Box Canyon Hydro Project, located on the west shore of Howe Sound, about 10.5 kilometres northeast of Port Mellon. Developed by Elemental Energy Inc., the facility is expected to generate enough hydroelectricity to power approximately 4,500 homes.
Once fully operational, the Squamish Nation is forecast to receive $70,699 per year over the life of the project.
