Neufeld defends Duke decision

Richard Neufeld
The Province
28-Jun-2005

The cancellation of the Duke Point power project did not cost B.C. ratepayers $120 million, as suggested by Mike Smyth.

The $120 million was the direct result of two failed NDP projects that our government was forced to write off almost two years ago.

Fifty million dollars of that write-off was directly related to the Georgia Strait Crossing Project, the NDP-initiated pipeline that was not required to meet Vancouver Island's gas needs.

The remaining $70 million was almost entirely attributable to the NDP's decision to commit to purchase two turbines.

The cancellation of the Duke Point Power project is unrelated to these costs, and will not have any affect on B.C. Hydro rates.

B.C. Hydro has said it is confident it can maintain reliability planning criteria on Vancouver Island.

It intends extending the life of the current transmission cables, and will make load curtailment agreements with industrial customers until the new cables are constructed.

Richard Neufeld,
B.C. Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources