A regular reader provided this comment to the preceding article. Hugh explains that the capture of BC’s public utility by selfish profiteers was a carefully considered manoeuvre. In the end, it will have given billions of dollars to Liberal friends and insiders:

The BC Clean Energy Act is really evil. It does several things (among others):

1. Says electricity in BC has to be sourced in BC, so no Mid C imports, even if it’s cheaper.
2. Exempts Site C from BCUC.
3. Exempts power call for IPP power from BCUC.
4. Stops use of Burrard Thermal, except in certain circumstances.

The original 2010 version of the act even said BC Hydro had to have an huge excess of made-in-BC power – that was so blatant they dropped it.

At the same time they kept saying demand for power in BC will keep rising 40%.

At the same time they have a policy whereby BC Hydro is not permitted to build new power sources, except to expand existing plants and to build the $9 billion Site C.

When you look at all that above, note the gigantic benefit it gives to IPPs in BC. Note how our publicly-owned power utility BC Hydro is being ransacked to benefit private industry.

Remember how in 2001 the privatization agreement to sell parts of BC Hydro to Accenture was exempted from common law, in order to thwart a class action lawsuit against the deal.