Environmentalists Say BCUC Decision Is “Not in the Public Interest”
Group says decision to shut-out renewable energy is short-sighted and locks British Columbia into an uncertain future dependent on fossil fuels.Environmental group ForestEthics is reacting to the BCUC's recent 236 page decision to reject BC Hydro's long-term acquisition plan, calling the decision, “not in the public interest,” and at odds with the province's clean energy future.
The commission had labelled BC Hydro's long-term acquisition plan as being “not in the public interest.”
"The BC Utilities Commission is supposed to be responsible for ensuring a safe and reliable supply of electricity for British Columbians,” said Merran Smith, Climate Director with ForestEthics. “Shutting the door on renewable energy and locking our province into an uncertain future dependent on fossil fuels doesn't seem very safe or reliable. The BCUC needs to be an enabler of BC's green energy future, not a brick wall holding it back.”
In examining the commission's decision, ForestEthics is particularly concerned about three issues:
1) The decision to increase production at Burrard Generating Station means using more natural gas to produce electricity at hugely inefficient rates (vs. heat production). Increasing production will cause greenhouse gas emissions to rise dramatically in the short term and will ultimately shorten the station's life span with no replacement plan.
2) BC currently imports approximately 10% of our electricity from dirty sources in Alberta (coal and natural gas power plants). To be so close and yet so far away (thanks to the BCUC) in meeting all of our energy needs with renewable energy (something we could easily do) is short-sighted with respect to the dangers of climate change and ignores clear market signals such as the emerging market for electric cars, a development that will require new and renewable sources of energy to augment existing supply.
3) ForestEthics acknowledges that the protocols and parameters around Independent Power Producers (IPPs) needs to be improved. Some early proposals have called for new transmission lines through parks or putting small (not micro) hydro projects across key salmon habitat. The system of first-come, first-serve permits also created a type of gold rush that appeared publicly to be privatizing every river and creek in the province. Changes definitely need to be made. However cutting off calls for clean energy production all together is not the way forward.
“The BCUC needs to understand that the public interest has changed,” said Nikki Skuce, Energy Campaigner, ForestEthics. “Climate change and its relationship to the way we produce power is something the commission can't keep overlooking. There is huge potential for community owned-power projects and residential units to be installed in the short-term to fill our energy needs in a way that is clean, decentralized and helps fight global warming”
