Playing Catch up with the July News(July 31)

We try to pick and choose the big stories of our sabbatical, to archive for future generations of Podunkians.

The July 31st recap


Harness the wind and Harness the future!

The Mount Hays Wind Farm gets a go ahead from BC Hydro, which has chosen that project as one of three wind farm programs to enhance the provinces electrical needs. The full story was a page one feature in the Daily News.

BRIGHT FUTURE FOR AREA IS IN THE AIR SAYS FIRM
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Monday, July 31
Pages One and Three

B. C.’s Hydro’s acceptance of three wind farm projects as part of British Columbia’s future power supply is a sign that wind power will be part of the province’s future, said the president of Nai Kun Wind Development.

Former Rupertite Ray Castelli is the new president of Nai Kun, the company proposing a large-scale wind farm off the northern tip of Haida Gwaii.

“I think wind power is the future. When you look at the energy needs the province has – the availability of hydro and some of the other options compared to the abundance of wind B. C. has, particularly in the north – I think large-scale wind projects are very much a part of B. C.’s energy future,” said Castelli.

Nai Kun plans to submit its proposal for phase one of its plans to B. C. Hydro during Hydro’s next call for new power suppliers in the coming year.

“The next two calls by Hydro are going to be relatively large. We wanted to get everything ready and in place before we put that bid in.” said Castelli.

He explained the company is planning on building the project in phases. The first phase would produce 320 megawatts (MW) and would connect up with the existing power transmission system just south of Prince Rupert.

The first phase is worth $800 to $900 million and construction on Phase One is expected to being in 2009.

“Phase Two of the project would be approximately the same size but once you have the infrastructure in place – once you have the transmission lines- it’s simply a question of putting more turbines in place,” he said.

The overall project includes five phases of development that would see 1,750 MW of capacity- enough electricity to power more than 600,000 homes.

Castelli was born and raised in Prince Rupert and still has lots of family in town, however he hasn’t lived in B. C. for a long time.

He was most recently Senior Vice President of Quadrem, a Dallas based procurement and e-business company focused on the natural resource industry.

“I’m excited to be coming back to British Columbia. I’ve been away for several years. I spent the last five years in Dallas, Texas, with an internet company, and before that with Alcan for five and six years and before that five or six years in Ottawa with the federal government. I was looking for an opportunity to get back to British Columbia,” he said.

As director of Corporate Development for Alcan Aluminum of Montreal, Castelli was involved in evaluating acquisition and development opportunities around the world, including smelters and electricity projects and as a Director of Corporate Affairs for Alcan British Columbia, he was responsible for resolving energy-related issues and negotiations of a Power Purchase Agreement with B. C. Hydro.

Although he will be based in Vancouver, Castelli said he will be spending a fair amount of time up north, both in Prince Rupert and on Haida Gwaii.

“We are likely going to try and use the port facility in Prince Rupert as a staging area for the development. A lot of the parts and equipment come in by sea, so we will be talking to the port about using the port facility.”

There are several companies currently exploring wind power projects on the North Coast. Katabatic Power was one of three companies to sign a purchase agreement with B. C. Hydro for its Mount Hays wind farm proposal last week and the company is looking at opportunities on Banks Island.

English Bay Energy Limited, which has 283 wind turbines in the Tehachapi Pass in Southern California has also installed four test masts on the North Coast near Banks Island, Porcher Island, McCauley and Stephens Island.




Bad Boys, Bad Boys whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do when they come for you!

Like a page from the new Miami Vice movie just released on Friday, real life drug and gun law enforcement found itself played out on the front pages of the Daily News. The 800 Block of Fulton street was the scene, the Daily News had all the details.


POLICE SEIZE HAUL OF DRUGS AND WEAPONS
The Daily News
Monday, July 31, 2006
Page One

RCMP say they have seized cocaine, heroin and a variety of stolen property from a residence on Fulton Street.

The find was made after police obtained a search warrant under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act for a residence in the 800 block of Fulton. Charges of possession for the purposes of Trafficking are pending against one adult male and one adult female who occupied the residence.

RCMP are continuing to urge the public to report all thefts of personal property when they occur as often these drug-related warrants turn up a quantity of property believed to be stolen.

Anyone with information on stolen property or drug activity are asked to contact police at 624-2136 or, to remain anonymous Crimsetoppers at 627-TIPS.