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T H U R S D AY, N O V E M B E R 4 , 2 0 1 0
River water adds to power grid The number of Cloudworks energy projects is growing in the north Harrison Lake area The first of a two-part series the executive vice president of Cloudworks Energy Inc. He's When Darryl Peters was young, gesturing toward the waterfall, his free time was spent running where a Áock of reporters are in the woods with friends. taking in the majestic scenery. They would trip over salmon But that's not the reason for berries, hide behind this visit — at least, the large cedars and not directly. crawl through the The two men are moss and twigs on halfway through the thick rainforest hosting a media tour, Áoor, while playing designed speciÀcally boyhood games to help shed some like hide and seek. light on the newest They would Àsh installments of an for salmon in the age-old technology — rivers, and they water-powered energy. would duck into And this waterfall the icy waterfalls, Graham Horn from plays a major role. hidden like Cloudworks Energy Inc. This is an area sparkling treasures not many British in the dark hills Columbians will around their home of remote Port ever visit. It's a three-hour Douglas. drive on the best road in, from That water Áowed down from Pemberton. It's an even longer the mountains, from melting journey from the Fraser Valley, snow in the springtime, and starting at Chehalis Road and heavy coastal rains in the fall and meandering down the sometimes winter. tenuous, always long, West And in the summer, those Harrison Road. It's a journey so waterfalls — and their cool arduous, that most people don't surroundings — were more than bother. Others choose to go by just a play area. boat, plane or helicopter. On "We used to bring our milk this wet October day, the latter and cheese down here, and place was chosen. At 40 minutes, in them in baskets in the water in the very trustworthy control of the summertime," Peters says. Blackcomb Aviation pilot Ben "That was our refrigerator." Hawkins, it's a relatively quick Peters is standing in the very trip. area where he played as a child, CONTINUED – ON PAGE 3 telling this story to Graham Horn, Jessica Peters THE OBSERVER
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Darryl Peters explains to Graham Horn, Cloudworks executive vice president, how families of the Douglas Band near Port Douglas used to cart their perishable foods to the local waterfall, place them in baskets and keep them there during the summer months. The Douglas Band has always been off the power grid but will connect to BC Hydro on November 12. Cloudworks is currently building and operating several run of river projects in the north Harrison area, including one that diverts water from the waterfall running in the right of this photograph. The water behind the two men is the tailrace of the power project, where the natural water flow reconnects with the water that’s been harnessed for energy. PHOTOS BY JESSICA PETERS / OBSERVER
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