While FortisBC provides power to artificial intelligence data centres and other large consumers, the company says those businesses are subject to extra scrutiny.
Jason Wolfe, director of energy solutions, said in an interview that they first require an application from a customer telling them where they are located, how much power they need, whether that need varies by time of year, and other factors.
The company then determines how much it would cost, how long it might take to provide the required infrastructure, and whether the company has enough energy.
“In doing that evaluation, we always want to make sure that we have enough power for all our existing customers and those that might be coming on as well,” Wolfe said.
“We look at the cost to connect the customer, we look at the revenue they’re going to bring, and we ensure we’re able to continue serving existing customers, and they’re not going to be harmed by the addition of this new large customer.
“If all those answers turn out okay, then we say yes, here’s the timeline and here’s the cost.”
Wolfe said large-scale customers often have their own on-site infrastructure and they pay for other infrastructure to allow FortisBC to serve them. In some cases, they may build their own substations.
Wolfe said there are “certainly” circumstances where a large customer would be turned down.
He said FortisBC has two main industrial rates, one where the company provides power itself and another where power is supplied from the open market. AI data centres are subject to the same rules as other large customers receiving service at those rates, he said.
FortisBC has a few data centres on its system, including Blockchain DMG at Christina Lake, which built its own substation when it was established for crypto currency mining. It’s now transitioning to AI processing.
Wolfe said FortisBC is fielding requests from other prospective AI centres, which will be studied one by one. He added they have large-scale customers in other industries as well, including forestry and mining.
The company generates power from its dams on the Kootenay River. It also has an agreement with BC Hydro and buys power on the open market. It has further issued a call for proposals from other companies to develop wind-power projects.
Last November, the provincial government passed an amendment to the Utilities Comnission Act which allows the regulation of power supply for high-demand uses. However, Wolfe said the government hasn’t issued any orders that affect their ability to serve AI data centres.
“They are a large customer and we treat them like any other large customer,” he said. “For us, it’s really about what is the load on the system? When is it coming on? What’s the cost? How does it impact our existing customers?”
