Waterpower Projects
 Waterpower projects are intended to capture the energy of falling water to generate electricity. A turbine converts the kinetic energy of falling water into mechanical energy. Then a generator converts the mechanical energy from the turbine into electrical energy. Water is removed from a stream and transported through a pipe or penstock turning blades in a turbine to spin a generator to produce electricity. The water is returned to the stream via a tailrace. The electricity produced may be delivered to the provincial electrical grid or distribution system via a transmission/power line or sent to the facilities using a self generator.
Waterpower projects may be on Crown land private land or a combination of Crown and private lands.
The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations has the responsibility under the Water Act for overseeing the issuance of water licences and approvals for power projects. Given the complexity of water power projects the time lines for approval processes will vary and are dependent in part on the applicant’s response time in meeting the requirements set throughout the process. Larger projects need to go through an environmental assessment process by the Environmental Assessment Office before a water licence is issued.
Application Documents
Water licences are issued by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. FLNRO recognizes three categories of waterpower licences for, residential, commercial, and general purposes. Please refer to the Water Use Purpose Definition
( 161kb) see page 6 of the document for more information relating to the three categories of water power purposes.
A water licence provides for use of an appropriate quantity of the water, conditions of water use, and the authority for the construction of works on Crown or private land.
For information or assistance with applications for water authorizations, please contact the FrontCounterBC office in your area.
Where Crown lands are involved, tenures are issued by the Integrated Land Management Bureau. Components that may be situated on Crown land and require a Crown land tenure include the following: powerhouse site, penstock, intake structures, tailrace, switchyards, transmission lines, roadways and construction staging areas.
Information on Crown land tenures can also be obtained from the FrontCounter BC Office.
To submit your waterpower application package and the contents listed below please contact the appropriate FrontCounter BC Office.
A Project Scope report is required at initial submission of an waterpower application for general purpose. A
Clean Energy Project Development Plan ( 1.3mb) will be required for the final adjudication of the application.
The Project Scope template ( 78kb) should provide: an executive summary; expanded proponent, corporate and contact information; a project concept and description which includes the production capacity of the project, watershed characteristics, and parameters for the operation of works; linkages with other projects; the market for the electricity; a schedule for completion of the project; First Nations involvement, fish and wildlife information; and a description of land access.
Optional: (Required for Crown Upland and Aquatic Land)
Waterpower Project Application Requirements List for an Investigative Licence (Land Act)
( 76kb)
Optional:
Water Licence Dam and Reservoir Information (Schedule 2)( 73kb) (Word  1.7mb)
Optional:
Application Form for Land Tenure applicable if any parts of the project are on Crown land.
Optional:
Letter Appointing Agent ( 75kb)
The following should be reviewed prior to submitting your application:
The following documents should be reviewed when considering independent power production:
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