BC Hydro to build Vancouver Island battery energy storage to boost power flexibility

NORTH COWICHAN — British Columbia’s Crown utility BC Hydro is launching a procurement process for a large battery energy storage project on Vancouver Island, the first such infrastructure in the province.

Energy Minister Adrian Dix says the project is aimed at having at least 100 megawatts of battery storage capacity, which could store excess energy production during low-demand periods.

That energy could then be used during peak periods, which Dix says will improve Vancouver Island’s reliability and flexibility in delivering power to local communities.

A request for supplier qualifications to find companies capable of working on the project will be issued on July 30.

The province says it will review those, then invite a pool of respondents to take part in a request for proposals for the project later this year.

The facility is expected to be operational by 2030 and will be owned and operated by BC Hydro.

“B.C.’s first utility-scale battery storage facility will help power the Island and is a key part of BC Hydro’s powering growth plan to strengthen our electricity system and support the province’s future growth,” Dix says in a statement.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2026.

The Canadian Press