“BCUC has told BC Hydro that if they want  to buy environmentally risky, expensive private power, they’re going to have to  prove they need it. Since BC Hydro hasn’t done that, they have to go back to the  drawing board. For people concerned about the potential impact of hundreds of  diversion projects on our rivers and streams, this is good news,” said Andrew  Radzik of the Wilderness Committee.

The BCUC is an independent, arms-length agency that is responsible for keeping energy production fair for  both the general public and producers of power in BC. Their decision noted that  BC Hydro has not proven that it needs more electricity over what it can save by  conservation measures.

 

Commission decision  highlights conservation and proper planning

 

“BCUC wants more work on conservation, which they  think will prove more cost-effective for ratepayers. That’s great news for our  environment and our pocketbooks. We’re already on the hook for $31 billion to  private power companies, a bad situation we don’t want to get worse,” said  Radzik.

The Wilderness Committee raised concerns with parts of the BCUC  decision, such as the continued use and possible expansion of Burrard Thermal, a natural gas power plant in the Lower Mainland.

“Although Burrard Thermal  is used only as a back-up and produced less than 1% of BC Hydro’s power last  year, nobody wants to see more power produced by burning fossil fuels, for both  climate and human health reasons. Unfortunately, the BC government created a  plan for electricity generation that relies on intermittent private river power,  which we can’t rely on during a
cold night in December. There are other  solutions that the BC government has not looked at, like using some of the power  we get as a benefit under the Columbia River Treaty,” said Radzik.

The  Wilderness Committee had other concerns around this decision, noting that there  was potential for political interference. They cited the 2006 passage of Bill  30, which stripped municipalities of their right to zone private power projects  in their communities.

“We’d hate to see the BC government try to bypass  this decision, as they have done in the past when people have made with  energy-related decisions they don’t agree with. When regional districts began to  oppose river diversion projects, the BC government took away the rights of  elected municipal representatives to make decisions on behalf of their  communities. The BCUC
has shown this energy plan is not in the public interest, and we hope the BC government gets that message. If they don’t listen, we have to wonder whose interest they are acting in” said Radzik.


For more information please contact: Andrew  Radzik, Wilderness Committee,
778-896-4441

For immediate release – Thursday, July 30, 2009