As the population of Kelowna grows so too does power consumption, but its availability is quickly becoming a concern.
“We’re looking at a potential shortage or shortfall of natural gas by the winter of 2026-27,” said Marcus Anderson, corporate communications advisor for FortisBC.
In order to address it, Fortis is planning to build what it calls a small-scale liquified natural gas (LNG) storage facility so that power is available during peak winter days when demand is through the roof.
“We’re not looking at storing it on-site throughout the whole year,” Anderson said.
“We’ll be bringing it in in the fall months when it’s easier for our trucks to be able to travel on the highways and transport this gas into the community and it’ll just be stored through the winter and used on an as-needed basis.”
The storage facility would be constructed on the site of the existing electric substation on Spall Road.
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According to Anderson, it will have the capacity to store up to 300,000 gallons of LNG.
“It’s a six-tank liquefied natural gas storage and send-out facility,” Anderson said. “So essentially, six tanks storing LNG. The LNG will be re-gasified and then distributed through our system.”
FortisBC scheduled an information session for Monday from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Hyatt Place Hotel in Kelowna ahead of receiving approval from the B.C. Utilities Commission.
Businesses Global News approached which back onto the site were unaware of the information session.
“It’s kind of concerning in the sense that this is the first I have been hearing about it and it seems like a pretty big project,” said Iver Sandaker, owner of Home for Dinner.
Despite not knowing anything about the project, Sandaker did express some initial concerns.
“I think the biggest thing for me would be traffic, getting in and out, big trucks coming in, what kind of equipment they’re going to use, it is just going to disrupt even more around here?” Sandaker told Global News.
Fortis says it is hoping to engage with the public to address all of the concerns being raised.
“I think a lot of people are not totally familiar with what liquefied natural gas is, you know, and its properties and how it behaves, “ Anderson said.
“It’s a non-corrosive, non-toxic, non-explosive material … it’s a safe project.”
Fortis would like to start construction sometime in 2026.
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