Everything Electric Podcast Big 'Blue' Battery? How BC HYDRO is powering a province's energy & transport?
Sep 2, 2025
Charlotte Mitha, the President and CEO of BC Hydro, shares her insights on the future of clean energy in British Columbia. With an impressive 98% of electricity from clean sources, she discusses the challenges of rising demand and the importance of infrastructure investments. Charlotte emphasizes community engagement and lessons learned from projects like Site C. The conversation also dives into the complexities of energy trading with California and the crucial role of partnerships, particularly with First Nations, in making future energy endeavors sustainable.
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Big Build Era And Strategic Priorities
- BC Hydro is entering a "big build" era with simultaneous growth in generation, transmission and distribution projects.
- Charlotte Mitha prioritizes enabling staff, simplifying processes, and accepting measured business risk to move faster.
Site C And Revelstoke As Legacy Projects
- Charlotte described Site C and Revelstoke as engineering marvels and emphasised their scale and legacy impact.
- She urged people to say yes to mega projects because they create rare, generational career experiences.
What Will Drive Load Growth
- Major future load growth drivers include industry (LNG, mining), electrification, population and EVs.
- Industrial "mega loads" can materially change planning because even a few hundred megawatts are significant for BC Hydro.