Story Index: 1860 - 1929

Lake Buntzen Power Plant Centenary 1903 - 2003

December 2003 marks the centenary of the Lake Buntzen Power Plant, the Lower Mainland's first hydro electric generating station.  The year 1903 was on of many important developments; the founding

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The Birth of BC Electric (1860 to 1929)

Every era lays claim to fame through earthshaking events, remarkable individuals, and new ideas. But, by any standard, the seven decades that began with the introduction of gaslight to this province

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And Then There Was Gaslight…

In early colonial days, gas manufactured from coal provided both domestic and street lighting. The first gas lighting appeared in Victoria on September 28, 1862, provided by the Victoria Gas Company.... [more...]

Early Electricity

In 1883, an enterprising Victoria citizen named Robert McMicking contracted with the city council to erect tall masts carrying clusters of arc lamps at three central downtown intersections. Power came... [more...]