The upgrades to Ruskin Dam will go ahead even though the provincial government doesn't like the seven per cent increase in BC Hydro rates.

Minister of Energy and Mines Rich Coleman said the Ruskin Dam needs to be seismically upgraded and that the current proposed rate hikes aren't a factor in that decision.

"We built it already into our budget... over a year ago," Coleman said.

If the seismic upgrades aren't done, an earthquake could wipe out the salmon habitat and the people living below the dam.

The upgrades will increase power output by about 10 per cent, Coleman said, and that will help amortize the cost over 12 years.

The power plant is getting "pretty old," Coleman pointed out, and it's sometimes hard to get parts for it.

"It just has to be done," Coleman said.

The original rate increase was almost 10 per cent, but the premier of B.C. Christy Clark was pushing for an increase of just over three per cent.

- with files from the Vancouver Sun