The Huu-ay-aht First Nations are planning to create a new source of revenue for the community with the construction of a clean-energy power plant on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
The community received $500,000 in equity funding from the B.C. government's First Nations Clean Energy Business Fund to help build a five-megawatt hydroelectric project on the Sarita River.
The province says the plant could generate 14.8 gigawatt hours of electricity on average each year, which is enough to power more than 1,300 homes.
The First Nation is negotiating an agreement to sell the power to BC Hydro and officials say the deal is expected to generate more than two million dollars per year on average.
