BC consumers to subsidize electricity exports

BC Liberal private power agenda will cost taxpayers $450 million a year.

A leaked document has confirmed what many British Columbians have always suspected about the BC Liberal private power agenda; forcing BC Hydro to buy private power does not make economic sense, says Columbia River – Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald.

In a submission to the Green Energy Task Force, BC Hydro’s largest industrial customers state that the government’s electricity export scheme will force BC Hydro to pay independent power producers twice as much for electricity as it would be worth on the open market.

This overpayment will cost BC Hydro $450 million per year, or $9 billion over the next 20 years. BC Hydro is a crown corporation which means that profits are returned to the province to fund healthcare, education and other government services.

“The BC Liberals are promoting the privatization of our rivers to generate electricity which taxpayers through BC Hydro will be forced to buy at exorbitant rates,” says Macdonald. “It doesn’t make sense for BC Hydro, and it doesn’t make sense for British Columbians.”

Private river-diversion projects have been built on rivers across British Columbia, and more are planned. Area residents are concerned about the proposed project on the Wood Arm, along the Athabasca Trail, the route which David Thompson travelled almost two hundred years ago.

“The David Thompson Heritage Lands are part of an important wilderness area that is nearly pristine. We need to protect this area for historical and environmental reasons. And with the release of these economic numbers it is clear that to proceed with this project will have negative economic impacts as well.

“The BC Liberal Energy Plan not only puts our province’s rivers at risk, it puts the viability of BC Hydro at risk. This plan takes money out of public hands and puts that money into the hands of private power producers.”

Macdonald is strongly encouraging people to continue their fight against the destruction of their rivers for private power production.

“So far two major private power projects have been stopped because of public outcry. In the Lower Mainland, 1200 people protesting the Upper Pitt River project forced the government to back down.

“Closer to home, the Glacier – Howser project has been stalled because people from all across the Kootenays have been clear that they will not accept the privatization of this river system or the destruction of pristine wilderness for the transmission lines.

“It has been proven; your voice really does make a difference.”

Golden
February 4, 2010
Norm Macdonald MLA
Columbia River – Revelstoke