Billions of dollars in the accounts of vested interests instead of the pockets of residents and SMEs. That’s will be the outcome after Clark Liberals and Horgan’s NDP greenlighted Site C, a $12 billion dam, which BC residential and SME consumers do not and will not need.
Continue readingTag: Site "C"
In-Sights: Site C, again
Site C did not proceed through ignorance and stupidity. It was a mean spirited and carefully designed choice to favour special economic and political interests above all others. Residential and small business ratepayers were viewed as powerless consumers who, with sufficient advertising and mistruths, could be convinced to believe Site
Continue readingIn-Sights: No business case for Site C
The BC Government has no business case for Site C. Unfortunately, they also don’t have the courage to terminate this expensive white elephant.
Continue readingIn-Sights: Site C, undo, redo or make do?
Wasting money on destructive energy projects makes zero sense when there are better alternatives. British Columbia is spending billions on Site C. It could suspend the project today and have less harmful and cheaper sources of clean power operational by the time new sources of power are needed.
Continue readingIn-Sights: Private contractors dependent on public money
Paul Starr of Princeton University wrote The Limits of Privatization. In the paper, he discusses an effect in which influence on government now comes from the “enlarged class of private contractors and other providers dependent on public money.”
Continue readingIn-Sights: Site C provides work of questionable quality to a mostly transient workforce
The NDP promoted its PowerBC program in the 2017 election. Had they been sincere, government would be keeping a promise to voters and they would now be preserving Peace River farmlands. Instead, they are destroying a valuable agricultural area. Government would be respecting rights of First Nations and protecting BC
Continue readingIn-Sights: Bright and breezy days go dark
The province now won’t admit that solar power potential is huge and economical. If they did, voters would wonder why BC Hydro is borrowing $11 billion, destroying valuable farmlands and breaking promises made to indigenous people, just to reward political friends. If BC had a Press Gallery or an Official Opposition
Continue readingIn-Sights: Disaster warning
PRESS RELEASE PO Box 90, Moberly Lake, B.C., V0C 1X0 P: 250.788.3676 F: 250.788.2948 “Extremely High Probability” of Site C Delays Expert Report in Injunction Case Contradicts Public Assurances by Energy Minister […]
Continue readingIn-Sights: Treaty 8
Report of Commissioners for Treaty No. 8 WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, 22nd September, 1899. The Honourable CLIFFORD SIFTON, Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, Ottawa. SIR, — We have the honour to transmit herewith the treaty […]
Continue readingIn-Sights: Horgan talks private and public power
John Horgan issued a press release that makes so damn much sense, I’m repeating it almost entirely. British Columbia urgently needs an independent and transparent examination of all private power purchase agreements, including those important portions kept secret…
Continue readingIn-Sights: BC Hydro: your primary role is NOT asset builder
We know Gordon Campbell crafted a story that people in BC should have enough domestic generation capacity to cover the most extreme shortage of water we could imagine. Like any unethical insurance salesman he consciously omitted telling the public what certainty of supply in a highly unlikely year would cost.
Continue readingIn-Sights: Enough said
Wind energy has become crazy cheap in the United States: With lowest costs approaching $10 per MWh and lots at under $20 per MWh. Site C power may cost $120 MW.
Continue readingIn-Sights: Open letter to BC NDP
The recent revelations about the supposed “decision process” regarding continuing with Site C, as detailed by Sarah Cox, are totally unacceptable. The public now knows that there never was any intention… to Stop Site C.
Continue readingIn-Sights: Government review of BC Hydro is specious
Some may be able to moderate use of electricity from the provincial grid but almost no individual can stop being a BC Hydro consumer. That fact obliges politicians to ensure the company is operated with maximum efficiency for the benefit of every citizen, not the relative handfull that are rewarded
Continue readingIn-Sights: Unreliable narrators
In British Columbia, ethical rules of news gathering are not always followed. Some offences are minor, others are significant…
Continue readingIn-Sights: BC Hydro aims to mislead citizens about domestic consumption
If we had experienced more truthfulness from BC Hydro, the province would not be spending billions on Site C. Not only is the project an option more expensive than alternatives, domestic demand does not support the addition of any new sources of power beyond those involving upgrades of existing generating
Continue readingIn-Sights: Organizational inertia and Site C
While the NDP has done much to change the direction of government in BC, they’ve been paralyzed when it comes energy policies. BC Hydro has been a troubled organization for years and it will not be rescued by timid actions. That’s bad news for every BC business and ever resident
Continue readingIn-Sights: Canadians spit into the wind
Slowing of growth in carbon emissions falls well short of the sharp drop in carbon emissions thought necessary to achieve Paris climate goals. We need a far more decisive break from the past…
Continue readingIn-Sights: Vested interests dictate energy policy
The coming shifts in power distribution is referred to as the democratization of energy. It is resisted at BC Hydro and other utilities but it is inevitable…
Continue readingIn-Sights: Akratic NDP
It’s easy to understand why BC Hydro argued that pushing ahead with Site C was the preferred option. A change in course would require directors and executives to admit their past decisions were colossal mistakes. Blunders that cost billions don’t help job security and do not enhance resumes…
Continue reading