City yanks support for Duke Point plant
Nanaimo Daily News
Wed. Jan. 26, 2005 (page 1)
In a close vote Monday, city council decided to pull its support from the controversial plan by Alberta-based Pristine Power to build a 252-megawatt power plant at Duke Point.
After a 5-4 vote in favour of a Norice of Motion brought forth by Coun. Diane Brennan Jan. 10 for council to withdraw its support of the $280 million proposal, council now has no position, for or against, the proposed plant that is currently before review by the B.C. Utilities Commission.
Council's support for the project was given when B.C. Hydro first proposed building a power plant at Duke Point three years ago, but Brennan successfully argued there are new issues, specifically around the growing cost of natural gas, if the plant proceeds, that weren't part of council's original deliberations on the subject.
(see EDITORIAL on page A6)
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EDITORIAL
Nanaimo Daily News
Wed. January 26, 2005
Duke Point support eroding
It is interesting to observe how support for the 252-megawatt power plant at Duke Point has eroded away in recent months.
It seems like only yesterday that support for the project far outweighed opposition, but slowly but surely that has turned.
Even our own City Council has pulled its backing for the plant, to be built by Alberta-based Pristine Power. While the Council vote was close, it nonetheless shut down Nanaimo's elected official stand, council now having no position, for or against.
A year or two back, industry too appeared to be in favour, but lately strong opposition has been heard from the major users of the prosed power. Earlier this month, and late last year, a committee representing the major industrial users of electricity on Vancouver Island stood firmly against the facility, saying costs would be too high, especially including the costs of the natural gas to feed to plant. Spokesperson for that group, Don [sic] Potts, said in a Daily News story recently, that nobody knows, with complete certainty, what the overall costs of the plant, over 25 years, would be. Naturally, Pristine and BC Hydro disagree.
Potts also took issue with claims by BC Hydro that the plant is necessary even though new cables to carry electricity to the Island, which will replace cables that will be decommissioned in 2007, are scheduled to be put in place in 2008.
Certainly, public opinion has carried some weight on this matter, too. Intelligent and straightforward letters to the editor have been in abundance calling for the BC Utilities Commission to nix the deal.
The entire matter has become a puzzler. BC Hydro says we have to gear up for power shortfalls and fears brownouts. Yet, the cables now carrying power will be fully replaced in 2008. This confuses people.
We find ourselves with doubts in recent months. While we initially supported the plant, and fully support the premise that Vancouver Island's power supply must be fully protected if the Island is to grow economically, we like so many others wonder if all the real facts are on the table.
BC Hydro has to accept a good deal of the responsibility for shattered faith. While the corporation had their information act together on this important topic at one point, they have been short in selling their message and more importantly, the right message, of late to help guide the public through this controversial process.
While some remain as strong backers of the plant, we see those numbers tumbling in rapid fashion. And, so they should. As Councillor Diane Brennan pointed out at council Monday evening, there are now new issues if the plant proceeds. Until those new issues are more clearly debated, it's understandable that support will continue to fall.
- Viewpoint by Managing Editor Peter Godfrey