The Hook

What's the rush

There was an article on this subject on the Globe & Mail website which quoted Gwen Barlee stating that some of the consortiums that have been accepted by BC Hydro have not even had their projects cleared by the environmental process yet. Although I'm skeptical as to whether this process is on the up and up rather than a rubber stamp excercise, one would think that BC Hydro would not even consider proposals that haven't even passed this hurdle.

Something smells rotten about this whole process.

Knob Hill

Has received their Env Assessment Certificate, and in fact had to have it renewed because nothing had happened for 5 years and it had an expiry date.

Hopefully First Nations will receive benefits for the project taking up land in their territories.

How much?

Another round of rip-offs. This power is extremely expensive, and the energy purchase agreements our crooked government has bought with these "private firms" (why can't they market power independently without government money?) will sink us financially.

I would recommend that anyone who wants background on the issue read John Calvert's great book, Liquid Gold, available at public libraries:
http://www.amazon.ca/Liquid-Gold-Privatization-British-Columbia/dp/1552662446

Check out the great series of free documentaries about IPP's right here:
http://www.saveourrivers.tv/

And check out the awesome googlemap at IPPwatch which will show you these new projects, where they are, and the proposed projects for the future and what stage of development they are in:
http://www.ippwatch.info/w/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=8

That's just a starter. This "government" and the people behind it aren't oligarchs or bad leaders, they are parasites. They must be removed.

site c

A recent article in the Globe and Mail, reported on the visit of a bunch of Republicans from California checking out Gordo's claim on Clean power certification for his stockbroker cronies down at Pirate Power central.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/decision-pending-on-site-c-hydro-megaproject/article1516729/

Blair "Mr Clean " Lekstrom was reported to opine on the subject of Site C.

“I certainty think it trumps coal-fired power, I think it trumps nuclear power, so is it a clean option for south of the border? Most definitely it is.”

Lekstrom has a high school diploma - used to pull cable for BCTel. He has zero knowledge of nuclear power or any other energy issue.

Site C will cost $12B/Gw average roughly twelve times the cost of new factory produced nukes or 6 times the cost of the existing Candu tecknology. At least we won't have to pay Gordo's stockbroker pals 12 cents a kwh for the power and it is more valuable baseload power rather than the worthless springtime only stuff from the stockbrokers.

That we will be able to buy much cheaper clean and green nuclear power from Alberta by then is not a factor in Lekstrom's addled mind.

One Enchanced Candu 6 ready by 2014, located on the site of Burrard Thermal, costing less than than $1.2B would produce 50% more power than Site C's 10000 flooded prime agricultural Hectares and $6B + power line builds and losses along the way.

Unfortunately, we don't get the choice. Lekstrom our halfwitted energy Guru bought and paid for by campaign donations and other considerations from his stockbroker pals over at Pirate Power has decided for us.

Oddly, Pirate Power Chief Engineer, Dr.Bruce Ripley P.Eng, President and COO, Plutonic Power Corporation has stated that nuclear is one of the best options for British Columbia. Our Energy minister with his high school equivalency certificate thinks I guess that he knows more than Dr.Ripley.

hahaha

Seth says: "One Enchanced Candu 6 ready by 2014, located on the site of Burrard Thermal, costing less than than $1.2B would produce 50% more power than Site C's 10000 flooded prime agricultural Hectares and $6B + power line builds and losses along the way."

I agree with you. But this is the province that just recently reinstated a ban on uranium exploration activities. And can you imagine the reaction here if someone put forward a proposal to put a nuke plant on the Burrard site? There'd be roving lynch mobs that would surpass the French Revolution in intensity.

How about Homer Simpson for Premier?

Spin-offs

GE/Plutonic are doing everything they can not to involve BC companies in the recently re-juvenated Dokie Wind Project as a general contractor from Minnesota is busy calling the shots and handing work to sub-contractors(buddies?) from Ontario and Calgary. Although no equipment has yet been moved from Chetwynd to the site, it is rumoured to be being done by out of province workers. A move which is certain to endear them to the region. Lots of talk about local benefit. Little action. Some erection work and some civil work might be done by BC companies. Too bad, looks like the same pattern as Bear Mountain Wind at Dawson Creek. Special hauler people from Saskatchewan brought in there too. One would hope that these BC companies would be more cognizant of spin-offs considering the level of government intervention in the process to make it possible for the proponents to realize some serious potential profits. And the fact that it should make sense to support the service infrastructure in the region to lower costs on future endeavours. Let me re-think if I really need or want a wind farm or a liberal around anyway.

With the 23 new projects

With the 23 new projects selected by BC Hydro this March, I figure there are about 120 IPPs either in operation or in the works in BC.

The total amount of energy these projects will supply to BC Hydro is about 20,000 GWh per year. BC Hydro is considering even more IPP power.

As a comparison, BC Hydro's big hydro projects produced 43,812 GWh in Fiscal 2009.

BC's domestic electricity usage was 52,512 GWh in F2009. So it looks to me like there will be a big surplus when all the IPPs are in operation.

nuke protesters

Latest American polling has nuclear support at 75%. You'd have a lot more protests with site c. There was a poll a while back that gave 65% support for BC uranium mining.

Most of the old hippies are gone - what is left is too old to do any damage. The nukers could hire up ole Tzeporah and job done.

Failing that Bruce Power would be happy to to build one in Alberta and lease it back to us. Still a lot cheaper than the pirates.

Spin-offs

Since the federal government provides a good portion of the funding for wind projects, the projects have to be bid under NAFTA rules. If BC banned federal funding, the projects could be bid in the province only.

Too bad that BC lost so many of its construction and hauling companies in the 1990s. BC has trouble competing now.

Spin-offs

Does the federal have any say in provincial matters concerning wind energy? How is the funding provided? Isn't it an internal deal where the IPP (in the Dokie case) negotiated a higher than normal power purchase agreement with BC Hydro to ensure the completion of the project this time? BC power consumers will effectively get to pay more for pwer so that US, Ontario and Alberta companies can run home with the construction/transportation profits and most of the income taxes generated by the workers. IPPs only say there will be regionoal jobs when they are trying to get a permit, then when they get it the work all goes to their friends and nobody can question anything. Maybe the shareholders will start asking why their managers can sub, sub, and subcontract and still have low construction costs.
The biggest loss of BC businesses has occurred since 2000. Ironically, about the same time the liberals thought it would be a good idea to subsidize IPPs and large natural gas producers and give away BC Rail. BC businesses can't compete with one arm tied behind their backs and as their volumes are sent to Ontario and Alberta, they never will. Good if you are in Victoria trolling for board seats later on in life though.