A BC Government “technical presentation” regarding its decision to continue construction of Site C is filled with misinformation, deceit and false justifications.
If this is the quality of the advice taken by John Horgan’s cabinet on one rather important issue, we should be concerned about every other policy being considered.
Apparently, if truths are inconvenient, Victoria still prefers deception. Examples:
In 2011, when the Site C budget was $7.9 billion, BC Hydro claimed the project “would produce electricity at a cost between $87 and $95 per megawatt-hour.” Now that the projected capital cost is $10.7 billion, somehow the cost of power has fallen to $60 per megawatt-hour.
Of course, the NDP makes no mention of Alberta recently concluding an auction process that will see the province paying $37 per megawatt-hour for wind energy.
Nor does it acknowledge that Scientific American magazine recently reported:
A comprehensive survey of the wind industry shows wind energy is routinely purchased in bulk for just two cents per kilowatt-hour—and turbines are only getting cheaper, bigger, and better…
To keep us feeling warm and fuzzy about the incompetent management of BC Hydro, a rate comparison is offered:
However, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has a rather different set of data. This chart shows current retail prices for electricity in America’s western states:
The government presentation notes the IPP share of electricity supply is growing:
However, even this chart is misleading since it suggests moderation of BC Hydro’s purchases from independent power producers. In fact, in the first six months of fiscal year 2018, despite a continuation of flat demand, average monthly IPP purchases were 1,420 GWh, 25% higher than the monthly average in fiscal year 2017.
Worst of all, the NDP document fails to acknowledge that BC Hydro’s sales to residential, commercial and industrial consumers has been flat for well more than a decade. It boldly discards the NDP platform promise to establish PowerBC, a program “designed to reduce electricity demand.”
Without detail, the presentation states the termination cost of Site C would be $4 billion and it paints a one-sided doomsday scenario of how that would affect the province. Apparently, more than $6 billion in valueless “regulatory assets” need not be written off immediately but Site C cost must be.
I suspect there has never been any intention within the NDP leadership of stopping Site C. They had calculated that doing so would offend important friends in construction trades unions and they worried that political opponents would paint the new government as anti-development.
The decision may demonstrate that BC’s new government is committed to serving its own special interests and following artful principles that kept BC Liberals in power for 16 years.
Victoria BC – Over 400 delegates attended the Site C Accountability and Action Summit to un-package the BC NDP’s Site C decision, uphold Indigenous rights and Treaty 8, examine the ongoing Site C train wreck, and to develop action plans to stop Site C.
Experts with over 100 years of collective experience in energy economics concluded that the NDP government knew their decision to continue Site C was based on erroneous advice. Contrary to the words of Premier Horgan and Attorney General David Eby, the facts are:
- Cancellation of Site C will not trigger an immediate 12% rate increase.
- Cancellation will not incur a $3 to $4 billion write down.
- Cancellation will not mean $125 to $150 million in new annual debt service and
postponement of needed capital spending. - Cancellation will not cause a bond rating downgrade.
- Cancellation will save $3.5 billion for other infrastructure.
The Summit was advised that the cost of renewable energy has plummeted since the
December 11th 2017 decision to proceed with Site C making any further attempt by the NDP to justify proceeding with Site C an exercise in futility.
The Summit was briefed on the clear and massive breach of West Moberly, Prophet
River, and Blueberry Indian Band Treaty Rights and other Indigenous Rights that will occur upon flooding of the Peace Valley if Site C proceeds…
BC Government boldly discards the NDP platform promise to establish PowerBC, a program “designed to reduce electricity demand.”#SiteC #bcpoli
— Norm Farrell (@Norm_Farrell) February 6, 2018
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
David Suzuki: Large dams fail on climate change and Indigenous rights https://t.co/HIhsqd7LDR
— Straight News (@straightnews) February 6, 2018
in-sights.ca 
Innergex IPP buying Alterra IPP to make largest BC IPP. Fiscal 2017 BC Hydro paid $253 million for power from both companies.
http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/innergex-buys-private-power-competitor-in-1-1-billion-deal-to-become-biggest-seller-to-b-c-hydro
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I have friends and acquaintances who still firmly believe that we need site c and all it’s power that it can produce for the future. They know that I have an electrical back ground and I try to explain to them about the folly of site c. To put it into a nutshell; they don’t believe me. They have bought into the bullshit that has been peddled by the Liberals and now, evenly more convinced of their beliefs because Horgan is continuing with the project. Mention the IPP’s and all I get is blank stares. Maybe Vancouver Island should seperate from BC and say “Good luck” to the rest of BC to pay off that huge expense for those white elephants on the Peace and the IPP’s.
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Van Isle separation is a venerable sentiment—it was, after all, a separate Crown Colony at one time, but hardly more than a Hudson Bay outpost with a small Royal Navy base.
A few months before the last BC election, I was solicited by the “Vancouver Island Party” which provided a long list of grievances at a very, very slick website. I gave it the consideration it was due and concluded two things: Van Isle, not being a sovereign province, may not simply have a referendum under the federal Clarity Act to get the voters’ consent to separate. And the party looked like a stalking-horse and shill for the BC Liberals, the idea being to split some support away from their rivals in what was predicted to be a very close election.
The principal was a former federal Conservative MP. His “policy” section contained the batty idea that the new province (for he did not intend to separate from Canada, only from BC) would settle land claims with First Nations—on the condition that “they” pay the new province market price for all the timber, minerals and other natural resources first.
Didn’t hear much of the party after that, nor did it run any candidates I’m aware of.
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Norm, I recall when you used to appear on Ian Jessop’s radio shows, you said your intention was to keep ANY government accountable, regardless of the party.
With this article, it is clear that you meant what you said. Thank you.
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It is ironic that while John Horgan achieved the premiership despite a constant effort by the BC Liberals to label him as Doctor No, he’s developed a bad case of Achilles heel because he said yes.
His vulnerability arises because like his predecessor in the big chair, he lied to get to yes. It is magnified because he will not step up and directly and specifically address the experts who expose the lies. Experts he previously revered.
I for one expected much better.
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Ouch. Thanks for a dose of reality. Glad to see you back at it. J
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One has only look who is advising John Horgan and that is Geoff Meggs, visionista who quit before the upcoming implosion.
Vision Vancouver’s rule was based on deceit and Meggs is badly tainted.
The NDP is supposed to be a grass roots party, but in its time of power has proven to be anything but.
Site C is a yesterday;s dam, being built on yesterday’s needs and is supported by yeserday’s people and that, sadly explains the NDP!
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In the presentation, which EVERYONE should please read, on slide #14, it give 5 aspects for consideration: Only two are dealt with. First Nations is conveniently ignored which I find disgusting and cowardly. Green House Gas targets and Agriculture/Food Security are likewise ignored. “A Load of Crap” ..except that crap can be useful while this document cannot.
Here is the link: https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiIneT2to_ZAhUM5IMKHWb7Dr8QFggnMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww2.gov.bc.ca%2Fassets%2Fgov%2Ffarming-natural-resources-and-industry%2Felectricity-alternative-energy%2Felectricity%2Fsite_c_technical_presentation_december_11_2017.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2hmIv_IpuOK9DbE7bG-ISE
Work is proceeding on a public response. cheers, Roger
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11 hospital projects similar to the North Island Hospitals
(Province’s share $365 million); or,
12 highway projects similar to the Okanagan Valley Corridor Project
(Province’s share $ 330 million); or,
I am not impressed with how “province’s share” was quickly inserted into these facts. P3’s are evil!
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agree a smelly political deal .
You know the old poker game …..partner ” I’ll trade you carbon credits for clean power while tossing in your green chips ” ok partner ..”.I’ll up your hydro rates and see you.”
I guess it never occured that the government is in a financial conflict of interest over it’s substantial oil/gas revenues in deciding what is good for the ‘state”.The state isn’t you or I as far as I understand it.
In court for conflict of interest I’d like to see and be witness to the smelly political deals that went down in that smokey room of hell we voted for.
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An expanded Kinder Morgan pipeline would require a lot of electricity to pump diluted bitumen all the way from Alberta to Burnaby. Part of the reason for $10 billion Site C, no doubt.
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John Horgan and his Site C decision demonstrates that he is no better than Christy Clark. Leadership and integrity should be his strength and Horgan should have the guts to “Do what is right” by postponing the Dam until it is needed. To sign a 30 year agreement with the Chinese AECON Group is like selling his political soul. Who is going to stop the Chinese Government when they claim ownership of the Site C Dam? Will the Site C Dam be sold off like the BC Rail and taxpayers will cover the losses?
Horgan is being dictated to by Justen Trudeau with a promise of a larger share of Equalization Payments and a bigger royalty claim on the Kinder Morgan pipeline completion.
When Horgan and Trudeau take their final breaths, they will admit they made the biggest mistake of their lives was the Site C Dam and Kinder Morgan Projects.
The provincial NDP and Federal Liberals are done! Honouring First Nations’ Rights, the Environment and voters demanding to be listened too, will be the only way to make our world a better place.
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[Edited for legal reasons]…
[Managers of private equity funds] appear to be deliberately pushing Mr. Horgan and BC Hydro to do Site C for one reason only: so that they can steal BC Hydro from its unsuspecting owners, the people of BC, in a pre-planned, deliberately engineered government bankruptcy sale (covertly and criminally induced by the above said Private Equity Firm) for pennies on the dollar.
…[Edited]
JD English, Pacific Rim Resort, Tofino, BC. (250) 510-9474.
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BC Hydro was used to attempt to destroy Mr. English’s legitimate business near Tofino when a government official wanted to take his land, illegally! I believe that he suffered substantial losses, as a result of Liberal government deceit. Yet more intolerable Liberal behaviour.
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Rot seamlessly crosses party lines. Integrity is on the soon to be extinct list…and rightfully so.
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