BioNorth Energy Partnership Accelerates Clean Power Revival in British Columbia's Remote Forest Zone

Major Collaboration to Restore Stalled Biomass Operations

A significant joint venture has secured the Fort St. James Green Energy Project in Northern British Columbia, marking a strategic shift in the region’s renewable energy landscape. The 40-megawatt biomass facility, which halted operations in mid-2021 after five years of commercial generation, is now positioned for recommissioning under the leadership of three complementary organizations with distinct operational strengths.

The Players Behind the Green Energy Push

BioNorth Energy—formed through a collaboration between Arrow Group of Companies, the Nak’azdli Development Corporation (NDC), and Nexus Program Management Group—brings together decades of combined expertise. Arrow contributes over a century of forestry and supply chain mastery across North America, while NDC and Nak’azdli Whu’ten provide territorial resource knowledge and Indigenous partnership authenticity. Nexus PMG rounds out the consortium with technical acumen gained from developing more than 1,000 megawatts of biomass installations globally.

Tim Bell, leading the BioNorth Energy initiative, emphasizes the convergence of economic necessity and environmental responsibility: northern communities face employment challenges, BC Hydro maintains demand through its 30-year electricity purchase agreement (EPA), and provinces increasingly prioritize low-carbon infrastructure aligned with climate objectives.

How Forest Biomass Fits Into Clean Energy Strategy

The facility operates on forest fibre supplied through a 20-year forestry license, converting low-grade biomass residuals into grid power. This approach addresses dual goals: productive land stewardship and displacement of carbon-intensive energy sources. The asset generates approximately 38 direct jobs while supporting broader industrial activity and household power needs across British Columbia.

Indigenous Partnership Model and Regional Impact

The Nak’azdli Whu’ten’s involvement signals a departure from extractive-only resource relationships. As equity stakeholders in a multimillion-dollar operation, the community moves beyond consultation into direct operational management. Reg Mueller, NDC’s leadership voice, frames this as living heritage—the 18th-century Chief Kw’eh’s collaborative legacy now extends to modern resource utilization within ancestral territories.

Both the Nak’azdli Whut’en leadership and NDC board endorsed the initiative, underscoring alignment between traditional stewardship values and market-driven clean energy economics.

Timeline and Market Dynamics

Transaction completion was anticipated in Q4 2021, with power generation resuming in early 2022. The project’s viability rests on established EPA terms with BC Hydro, eliminating merchant power risk. With over 26 years of contract duration remaining when operations ceased, the economic fundamentals remain intact.

Ben Hubbard, from Nexus PMG, highlights the broader significance: improved utilization of forest biomass stands creates localized power supply chains, reduces ecosystem degradation from accumulated low-quality timber, and demonstrates scalable models for similar distressed assets across resource-rich regions.