.
Basi: … you can take it and look at it, show it to them. They can … y’know change some of the words around … some buzz words they wanna see in there, right?
Clark: Yeah.
Basi: And these, these companies know how to … get the fluff out of this shit and how to tailor it towards themselves, right?
Clark: Of course.
Basi: … then we can make the changes, we’ll show you the changes and then if those are okay, then we’ll get it going.
Clark: Sounds great … I’ll get you a secure fax number and we can do it that way.
Five to ten years ago, Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and run-of-river projects were all the rage throughout the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District. The situation was comparable to a mini gold rush, with potential independent power producers rushing to stake claims on every creek.
It all sounded so clean, so green, so positive. It was almost too good to be true. According to the recent review panel’s report on BC Hydro’s operations, it was too good to be true.
In the Gordon Campbell government’s pursuit of energy self-sufficiency, BC Hydro was forced to sign long-term contracts for high-cost, low-value power generated by IPPs. Those deals guaranteed IPPs revenue streams for decades to come. Also according to the review panel, in the 2010 fiscal year, IPPs produced 16 per cent of total domestic electricity requirements, while IPP electricity costs represented 49 per cent of Hydro’s overall domestic energy cost. The panel acknowledged that the self-sufficiency requirement is a “burden on ratepayers” and a “significant planning constraint” on BC Hydro.
Someone is benefiting from these agreements, but it’s certainly not Hydro’s customers or BC taxpayers.
Now we learn that because IPP run-of-river projects involve damming, disruption and diversion of rivers, they may not meet California’s standards for green, renewable energy under recent legislation passed by the California State Senate. So much for Campbell’s vision that the Clean Energy Act would “unleash British Columbia’s full potential in clean energy,” with BC becoming a massive exporter of clean electricity to be sold at a premium to power-hungry Californians…
