Clean Energy Projects

Uchucklesaht is advancing several clean energy projects that aim to reduce the use of diesel fuel for electricity in the village of Ehthlateese. Burning diesel produces greenhouses gases that contribute to climate change. The transportation and storage of diesel also presents a fuel spill risk that is of special concern to Uchucklesaht because fuel is transported to the village regularly by barge through salmon-bearing waters that are rich in biological diversity.  

Nasuk Mahtii Solar 

A 28.8 kW rooftop solar installation provides clean power to the largest community building in Ehthlateese. 54KWh of battery energy storage provides emergency backup power in the case of a community-wide outage. A level 2 EV charger was also installed in the parking area of the building. Overall this building receives about 30% of its annual energy from the solar and battery system. The system was installed in 2023.  

Ehthlateese Community Solar 

A 750 kW ground-mounter solar facility located on the south-facing hillside behind the village of Ehthlateese is currently in the final design phase. Power from the facility will be stored in a 2MWh battery owned and operated by BC Hydro. Uchucklesaht will own and operate the solar facility and the electricity it generates will be sold to BC Hydro for distribution in the village. Once constructed, the facility will generate approximately 60% of the energy consumed in the village on an annual basis.  

Ehthlateese Run-of-River Hydropower 

A 300 kW run-of-river hydropower facility utilizing a small non-fish-bearing creek near the village is in the design phase. This facility will provide power to the village in the winter when solar production is low and energy demand is high. Combined with the solar and battery systems, the construction of this facility will result in a village energy system that utilizes approximately 90% clean energy, even as demand grows substantially due to planned future developments.