Shore power possible for visiting Victoria cruise ships: BC Hydro

Questions arise over Victoria cruise shore power With Victoria's controversial cruise ship motion approved, questions have arisen over the viability of shore power and what it could cost.

BC Hydro says Vancouver Island has the capacity to provide shore power to visiting cruise ships, a question that was being asked following Victoria city council's decision to approve a motion pushing cruise ships to go green.

The installation of shore power would allow ships to plug in, and stop idling while docked in Victoria. Part of the motion includes directing staff to look at the potential of installing shore power; something BC Hydro says is possible.

"It's not a question of capacity, we have the ability to meet the load," says Ted Olynyk, BC Hydro spokesperson.

The question is now where the power would come from, and how it would be carried to Ogden point. BC Hydro says potential options include the Esquimalt or Horsey substations, all details that would be discussed with the Greater Victoria Harbor Authority (GVHA).

Olynyk says at this point, the plan is considered to be a customer driven program, meaning the GVHA would be responsible for covering costs.

In 2009, Vancouver's port became the first in Canada to install shore power, a project that cost nine-million dollars, and was subsidized by the federal government, BC Ministry of Transportation, BC Hydro, Port Metro Vancouver, and both Holland America Line and Princess Cruises.

Since installation, Port of Vancouver says there has been a total of 556 shore power connections, which has saved ships over 65-hundred tonnes of fuel savings, reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 20,000 tonnes, and removed close to six hundred tonness of air pollutants.

Port of Vancouver says BC Hydro bills cruise lines directly, and that the daily operations and maintenance of the infrastructure is managed by cruise lines.