The City of Williams Lake will be holding a Special Council Meeting on Monday, June 17 at 6 p.m. to address a lack of progress in a path forward for Atlantic Power Corporation to continue operating.
In February of 2024, Atlantic Power gave notice to cease operations in January of 2025 due to an inability to be profitable under its current contract conditions with BC Hydro.
Atlantic Power opened in 1993 and is an independent power producer utilizing wood waste generated from sawmills and logging debris.
“The impacts of a closure of the facility are far greater than the 28 direct jobs and the loss of an important corporate citizen,” said Williams Lake Mayor Surinderpal Rathor.
“There are numerous community-based contractors and suppliers, as well as several Indigenous-led businesses that provide the wood fibre needed to produce this green energy. Council wants to host this special meeting to learn more about the community impacts so those issues can be brought forward to the Provincial Government, who is the key decision maker with respect to allowing a producing power plant to shutter when the Province is also purchasing power from other jurisdictions to keep up with demand.”
At the meeting, community members in attendance will be invited to speak to and to inform Council of how a closure would impact the community.
The Special Public Meeting will be livestreamed on the City’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/CityWL
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