B.C.'s low snowpack and early melt signal drought, raising concern for hydro power

Drier, warmer weather in much of British Columbia last month has contributed to an early melt, raising concern for widespread drought this summer, the province's latest snowpack and water supply bulletin says.

The drought, in turn, is curtailing B.C.'s ability to generate hydroelectricity — where most of the province's power comes from — a former B.C. Liberal environment minister says.

Barry Penner, who held the portfolio from 2005 to 2008, said the province is on track to become a net importer of electricity in 2025, buying it from the United States, for the third consecutive year.

The power gap comes as U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening Canadian sovereignty, and after Trump slapped steep tariffs on Canadian goods, said Penner, who now chairs the Energy Futures Institute.

"We have someone in the White House who's actively threatening our country, economically," he said in an interview on Monday.

"And right now in B.C., it's us on the receiving end of [electricity] from the United States. It's not the other way around on a net basis."

A B.C. Hydro spokesperson confirmed the province is set to be a net importer of electricity for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 — but said it imported less last year than it did the previous year.

"For the nine months ended on Dec. 31, 2024, net import volumes were 34 per cent lower than the prior year and the associated net costs were 67 per cent lower than the same period in the prior fiscal year due to lower average market prices," spokesperson Mora Scott told CBC News in an email.

Scott added that Canada and the U.S. have bought and sold electricity among themselves "every hour of the day and year," and characterized the activity as a longstanding and mutually beneficial practice.

B.C. Hydro buys and sells energy via its subsidiary, Powerex.

"Despite the recent record drought conditions, [B.C.] Hydro was a net exporter of electricity for three of the past five years (fiscal years 2020 through 2024)," Scott said.

"Powerex's trade activities, across all of its business lines and all its markets, generated total trade income over this period of $2.8 billion, which has more than offset the costs [B.C.] Hydro has paid for the imported power it purchased to meet demand under drought conditions."

'Elevated drought' likely this year: bulletin

The latest provincial bulletin shows the snowpack was an average of 71 per cent of normal as of May 1, decreasing from 79 per cent of normal on April 1.

The figure is slightly higher than last year, when B.C.'s snowpack was an average of 66 per cent of what would be normal on May 1.

By early May, the bulletin said about five per cent of B.C.'s annual snowpack has typically melted, but 15 per cent had melted by the start of this month.

The low snowpack, early snowmelt and warm seasonal weather forecasts all point to "elevated drought" this summer, the bulletin concludes.

Rivers on Vancouver Island, the South Coast and in northeastern B.C., where snowmelt is not a significant contributor this spring, are flowing "at or near record low levels for early May," the bulletin notes.

Penner likened snowpack to "electricity in the bank." In times of drought, he said, B.C. Hydro holds water in its reservoirs so it's there during peak periods.

He said drought is a factor in B.C.'s declining electricity generation.

"If you look at B.C. Hydro's annual reports, you can see it. We've had a significant reduction in how much electricity we're actually making."

It coincides with growing demand for power, Penner said, noting peak demand in the summer is increasing as more people buy air conditioners.

WATCH | Provincial data shows B.C.'s snowpack at about 72% of normal:

Provincial data shows B.C.'s snowpack at about 72% of normal

4 months ago

Duration 1:54

A drier-than-normal January has translated to a below-average snowpack in February. New data from the province shows B.C.'s snowpack is about 72 percent of normal. As Michelle Gomez reports, experts say it raises the prospect of drought if precipitation doesn't increase.

But Scott said drought conditions were easing in the province, and while peak snowpack accumulation was below average this year, it was an improvement over last year.

"That said, snowpack is only one of the contributing factors to reservoir levels. Overall water supply will depend on residual snowpack and, for many basins, the significant contribution of precipitation over the spring-to-fall period," she said.

"So, it's too early to say at this time whether it will be an average water year or not. Either way, we are confident conditions will be better than what we've seen over the past two years."

Calls for more renewable power

The B.C. government announced last week a second call for power that would come from renewable sources with a target of generating up to 5,000 gigawatt hours of energy per year — just under the 5,100 gigawatt hours the massive Site C dam in northern B.C. is expected to generate.

It follows a call for power in 2024, which resulted in the confirmation of 10 new renewable-energy projects partly owned by First Nations.

Penner said news of the second call so soon after the first is a signal the government is aware there is a "serious issue" and it's trying to respond.

He said it will take some years for the projects to come online.

In the meantime, he said B.C. should look at measures to curtail electricity demand, such as removing or moderating electric vehicle mandates and using natural gas rather than American electricity to fill the gaps.

When asked for comment, the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions directed questions to B.C. Hydro.

Scott said the power authority is aiming to bring new renewable wind and solar projects online, collectively powering 500,000 homes and increasing power supply by eight per cent.

June 2, 2025: This story was updated after initial publication to add comments from B.C. Hydro and provide greater context.