New hydro-electric system for Whistler
Wednesday September 23, 2009 - Email this article to a friend

It will produce 33 gigawatt hours of electricity per year, the equivalent amount of energy required to power the ski resort's winter and summer operations including all 38 lifts, 17 restaurants, 270 snowguns and countless other buildings and services.

The creek has enough water, the necessary vertical drop, it is not a major fish-bearing stream, and the water is not used recreationally within the project area.

This summer 3.5km of pipeline was laid that will carry the water from the intake at Fitzsimmons Creek all the way to the powerhouse, near the Whistler Sliding Centre.

It's hoped the first power will be produced before Christmas.

"The Fitzsimmons Project represents a very meaningful step for us in doing what we can to address climate change inside our own operating footprint," says Arthur DeJong, Mountain Planning and Environmental Resource Manager, Whistler Blackcomb.

"I look forward to the day this winter when we begin to generate power out of the Fitzsimmons Project."

Now here at PlanetSKI we have a healthy scepticism to the various green and environmental claims made by ski resorts. 

Some are already claiming that Whistler will be 100% green for the forthcoming Olympics.   Well up to a point, yes, but to imply the whole Winter Olympics will come at no environmental costs at all is going a bit far in our opinion at PlanetSKI.

But from an energy point of view it is an important development and one to be welcomed.

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