Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, March 26, 2008

The British Columbia government has rejected a controversial proposal by an independent electricity project developer to run a power line through Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, Environment Minister Barry Penner said today.

The announcement comes a day after more than 1,000 people jammed Pitt Meadows secondary school to express their opposition to a proposal by Run of River Power to connect its proposed series of run of river hydro projects in the Upper Pitt River Valley to BC Hydro’s provincial electricity grid.

Run of River will now have to find an alternate transmission route for its proposal to build seven run of river hydroelectric generating projects in the Upper Pitt, although the company has indicated that the Pinecone route was its preferred option.

The project still requires an environmental approval from the province, and Run of River must also obtain a power sales agreement with BC Hydro before it can proceed.