Institutional Advocacy for Indigenous control of renewable energy: a First Nations Power Authority proposal in British Columbia, Canada

Climate change is one of society’s most existential challenges in scale and scope. The energy sector is the largest contributor to climate disruption, and a rapid uptake of renewable energy is considered a key pathway to decarbonizing energy systems. A renewable energy transition has societal implications; if designed well, it could provide opportunities for citizen participation, equity and justice in workforce transitions, and reconciliation. Amid the drive for decarbonization of transportation and heating through electrification, electricity grids require expansion and some decentralization, and rural areas and regions are becoming important locations of renewable energy generation Regions, districts, and rural actors are increasingly engaging in a renewable energy transition, viewing renewable energy resources as a potential local economic development strategy as part of a just energy transition. In settler colonial contexts, decolonizing energy transitions through Indigenous led renewable energy can be one important element of a just transition. Community led renewable energy production as independent power producers and grid operators is a strategy that may allow community empowerment and local economic development across widespread heterogeneous contexts. Despite strong interest and some implementation of renewable energy across many settler colonial settings, there has been few opportunities for collective forms of leadership in renewable energy by communities in many of these settings. This study focuses on one example of potential just policy design. First Nations in British Columbia (BC), Canada, are embracing the implementation of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) in law to advocate to create a regional scale “First Nations Power Authority” (FNPA). British Columbia’s power is provided under a provincially regulated monopoly utility, British Columbia Hydro (BC Hydro) and directs all electricity planning and procurement. Various models of an FNPA have been deliberated and proposed by advocacy groups, First Nations led groups, First Nations and Tribal Councils, and key elements of these proposals have been evaluated by the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC regulatory body). The main goal of an FNPA is to support the expansion of First Nation community’s opportunities to be independent power producers of renewable energy and utility owners and operators. This paper relies on regulatory, policy, media, and advocacy text analysis and incorporates findings from interviews with knowledge holders of First Nations in BC with experience in renewable energy development, the socioeconomic benefits it provides to First Nation communities, and the range of characterizing(s) of an FNPA institutional strategy. Lessons and learnings for other contexts will be highlighted.