There will be gouging

North Coast MLA Gary Coons doesn't see a positive side for consumers if the Provincial governments plans to use more and more private power providers continues on its present course.

Bill 15, which passed on Wednesday will accelerate the privatization of power development in the province according to Coons, making for a move that will make for a costly process in the power generation field and may not be particularly environmentally friendly either.

In Thursday's Daily News, he outlined his concerns and provided some background on the development of Bill 15.

Expect electricity gouging says Coons
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Page one

Private power producers are the only ones who will benefit from a controversial new bill that passed yesterday, says North Coast MLA Gary Coons.

Bill 15, known as the Utilities Commission Act, will undermine public power and put the environment at risk, he said.

"The amendments to the Utilities Commission Act contained in Bill 15 will accelerate the privatization of our energy production capabilities," said Coons. "Since 2001, the BC Liberals have been quietly selling our rivers, and slowly eroding our ability to produce public power."
Bill 15 directs the B.C. Utilities Commission to adopt and entrench the model of privately generated power as laid out in the B.C. Liberal 2003 and 2007 energy plans.

Further, by expanding the powers of the 'Minister responsible for the administration of the Hydro and Power Authority Act,' Coons claimed that Bill 15 will make it easier for private power projects to enter B.C. and will further restrict B.C. Hydro's ability to be competitive in the integrated North American energy market with its rivals.

"The power produced under Bill 15 will be many times more expensive than power produced by our public utility, and contrary to assertions made by the government these projects are not, in every sense, green projects," said Coons.

"There are huge environmental impacts associated with many run-of-the-river proposals."
He noted that there has already been a gold rush by private corporations seeking to develop hydroelectricity from B.C.'s creeks and rivers. Today, more than 500 water licences have been granted to private power producers. Bill 15 will only weaken the British Columbia Utilities Commission's ability to deny contracts for power that are a bad deal for British Columbians.

"It is bad enough that environmentally unsound developments are being allowed to go forward, and that the Campbell Liberals have decided that community and First Nations objections shouldn't get in the way of projects proposed by their friends," said Coons. "But now the government is passing legislation that will strip us of the only protection we have from getting completely gouged on our electricity bills."

Coons added that private power projects, especially one proposed for the Nascall river system are jeopardizing the Great Bear Rainforest, and contributing to delays in implementing legislation meant to protect these conservancies.

"Both the Heiltsuk and Nuxhalk, whose traditional territory the private power project crosses, oppose this project," said Coons.

He said the Nascall private power project in the Great Bear rainforest will destroy one of the most spectacular lake systems in the province. Contrary to claims made by the Environment Minister that these private power projects are inevitably green, the road and transmission infrastructure required to support these projects disrupts and fragments ecosystems, while the power projects themselves impact water flows and may disrupt spawning salmon.

"The Environment Minister's response leads me to believe that the concerns of the Heiltsuk and Nuxhalk are minor importance to him.

"He offered no assurance that he would respect the wishes of the First Nations peoples whose lands would be impacted by this project," said Coons.