By Robb M. Stewart


Conifex Timber Inc. said Wednesday it has filed a petition in the Supreme Court of British Columbia that seeks to quash a recent provincial government moratorium on cryptocurrency mining projects and would require the provincial power company to supply services to Conifex's proposed high-performance computing projects.

Conifex, whose main business is harvesting lumber but also produces bioenergy at a power generation facility in British Columbia, said the petition seeks a judicial review of the Lieutenant Governor in Council of British Columbia's recent order that directed the province's utilities commission to relieve the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority of an obligation to supply cryptocurrency mining projects for 18 months.

Conifex alleged that the order exceeded the statutory powers granted to the Lieutenant Governor in Council under the Utilities Commission Act, is discriminatory and breaches statutory and common law restraints on delegated powers.

The company said due to the order, two of its proposed projects have effectively been paused.

Conifex said it concurrently filed a notice of civil claim against BC Hydro in the Supreme Court of British Columbia seeking an order requiring BC Hydro to supply service to the projects, and also seeking general damages against BC Hydro.


Write to Robb M. Stewart at robb.stewart@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

04-12-23 0900ET