Volume decline forces natural gas plant in Fort Nelson, BC to shut down

FORT NELSON – A company that operates a natural gas power plant in Fort Nelson, British Columbia, is ceasing operations due to a reduction in gas volumes, which will also limit the city’s electricity and gas supplies.

NorthRiver Midstream’s processing plant has been closed since wildfires threatened the community last month, but the company has announced it will not restart production because it has been unable to find a stable gas supply in the region.

In a statement, NorthRiver said the company had “no certainty” about sustainable production in the area and that producers had announced that they did not intend to resume production that had been halted by the wildfires.

A wildfire in May forced 4,700 people to evacuate Fort Nelson for more than two weeks. Residents were able to return home, but two large fires continue to rage near the community.

The company said it has been working with natural gas producers for over a year to find long-term solutions to ensure stable supplies and maintain operations.

According to the company, 42 unionized and six non-unionized workers are employed. Additional jobs are available in upstream gas production and in the industry’s supply chain.

“NorthRiver remains committed to working with producers in the region, the Province of British Columbia and other stakeholders on solutions that would enable gas processing to resume in due course,” it said in a statement.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2024.

The Canadian Press