bc2008

Project to Ensure Reliable Power for Vancouver Island

See also:
Power lines to proceed
Sandor Gyarmati, Delta Optimist, 18-Mar-2008

Buyouts possible for high-voltage-line homes
Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 18-Mar-2008

INFORMATION BULLETIN
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
March 17, 2008

VICTORIA – Following more than three years of extensive public consultations, two independent studies and input from federal and provincial health organizations, the Province has announced that construction of overhead lines for the Tsawwassen segment of the Vancouver Island Transmission Reinforcement (VITR) Project will move forward. This upgrade has been designed with the strictest health and safety measures and exceeds guidelines endorsed by the World Health Organization.

The VITR project will ensure a reliable supply of power for over 700,000 residents, social infrastructure and business services on Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands.

The three-year process included more than 40 presentations, briefings and public open houses, 1,600 requests for information responded to, validation from Health Canada and input from the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, Fraser Valley Health Authority, Vancouver Island Health Authority and First Nations.

The project will remove a total of 58 poles. The current 78 wooden poles will be replaced with 20 new steel poles at 18 locations along the existing right-of-way that have been in place for 50 years.

Of the 18 pole locations on the right-of-way, nine are residential, three are owned by BC Hydro and six are non-residential or public spaces. The two lines that now flank each side of the right-of-way will be removed and replaced by a single set of poles.

Construction on this project will not start before June 1, 2008, which will allow for a full preconstruction notification and survey process and ensure that information is made available to all residents. Government is willing to consider the option of purchasing homes of affected homeowners on the right-of-way if they desire.

The government commissioned two independent studies to review the various proposals that had been brought forward by the British Columbia Transmission Corporation (BCTC) and a community organization. The independent studies confirmed the results of the BCTC cost estimates.

The decision to move forward with the overhead line construction is consistent with the British Columbia Utilities Commission and is scheduled to be in service by October 2008.

-30-

backgrounder(s) attached.

Media contact:
Jake Jacobs
Ministry of Energy, Mines and
Petroleum Resources
250 952-0628
250 213-6934 (cell)

For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.

Download this release
BCTC's VITR response to Tsawwassen residents' concerns www.knowthefacts.ca
BCTC VITR webpages

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Power lines to proceed

Sandor Gyarmati
Delta Optimist
Tuesday, March 18, 2008

On Monday, the Ministry of Energy issued an information bulletin announcing that work will proceed on the controversial new power lines through the residential Tsawwassen right-of-way as originally planned.
CREDIT: File photo

It looks like the final blow for Tsawwassen residents fighting to prevent high voltage power lines from being strung over their homes.

On Monday, the Ministry of Energy issued an information bulletin announcing that work will proceed on the controversial new power lines through the residential right-of-way as originally planned. The work is scheduled to commence June 1 in order to complete the project by this October to service future power needs of Vancouver Island residents.

"Construction on this project will not start before June 1, 2008, which will allow for a full pre-construction notification and survey process and ensure that information is made available to all residents. Government is willing to consider the option of purchasing homes of affected homeowners on the right-of-way if they desire," the bulletin states.

Saying they will gather to decide their next course of action, Tsawwassen Residents Against Higher Voltage Power Lines (TRAHVOL) co-chair Cec Dunn was angered at the latest setback in their three-year fight against the power lines.

"We have a number of options we'll be looking at and there's a number of considerations based on this answer coming out. We hoped, of course, it would be coming out the other way," said Dunn, who spoke with Energy Minister Richard Neufeld this week.

BCTC wants to remove both of the existing 138 kV (kiloVolt) single-circuit overhead lines (on wooden H-frame poles) and replace them with a new overhead 230 kV double-circuit on 120-foot-tall steel towers. Neufeld recently released the results of two independent studies he commissioned that conclude the cost to bury power lines in a method known as horizontal directional drilling is significantly higher than figures quoted by TRAHVOL.

The ministry noted the two studies, conducted by American engineering firms Black & Veatch and Power Delivery Consultants, show the direct costs were consistent with the estimates provided by the B.C.

Transmission Corporation, which is approximately twice the estimate put forward the firm used by TRAHVOL.

The two companies hired by the ministry came up with cost estimates between $27 million and $37 million. They also noted burying the lines would add 22 to 27 months to the project.

Pointing out several flaws in the studies, including the more general cost estimates being used instead of more specific quotes, Dunn said it looks like the ministry was engaged in nothing more than a public relations exercise.

"They were just doing a show here for us and not anything really constructive," he said.

As far as a government offer to purchase homes, Dunn wonders how much more of a hit his property value will take with new steel towers carrying higher voltage lines behind his home. Dunn, noting his property value has slipped the past three years, said he wouldn't be able to purchase a home elsewhere in Delta without taking out a hefty mortgage.

"If they're willing to give us fair market value for our homes, that's fine. But our assessments have been going down over the last four years because of all of this, yet they tell us in the same breathe that it doesn't affect our assessments."

Karsten Holmsen, who is planning a lawsuit seeking compensation, also wonders how much the government would offer for homes that would be resold. He said homeowners should not receive a government assessment of property values but, at the very least, a market value based what their homes are worth prior to the installation of the towers.

Following this week's announcement, Neufeld told the Optimist he's disappointed at the accusation his ministry was engaged in a public relations exercise, pointing out both firms which conducted the review have superb reputations and experience when it comes to horizontal directional drilling.

Also pointing out the power lines were in place before the homes were built, the minister noted that 78 wooden poles will be replaced by 20 steel ones. Just nine will be in the middle of the 50-year-old residential right-of-way.

"Nine back yards will be impacted by a single steel pole and it's all highly within acceptable ranges of EMF (electromagnetic field)," said Neufeld.

In 2006, the British Columbia Utilities Commission allowed BCTC to upgrade the current overhead lines with the new towers. Concerned about the health dangers of intensified electromagnetic fields, TRAHVOL later lost a court challenge for the commission to consider the precautionary principle.

The B.C Environmental Assessment Office and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency also granted their approvals.

© Delta Optimist 2008

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Buyouts possible for high-voltage-line homes

Residents concerned about possible health hazards from the new lines

Scott Simpson
Vancouver Sun
Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Tsawwassen residents living along a controversial electricity corridor may be offered buyouts on their homes, Energy Minister Richard Neufeld said Monday.

Neufeld said, however, that the government has made no final decision to offer buyouts to homeowners living beneath a set of high voltage lines that deliver electricity to Vancouver Island.

Buyouts have been rumoured for several months but Monday's statement, contained in a news release, was the first formal indication that the government is willing to consider purchasing the homes of residents who would rather move than live under new, higher-voltage lines which will be installed along the Tsawwassen corridor beginning in June.

Residents have made several unsuccessful attempts to have the project detoured, including a failed suit in B.C. Supreme Court.

But short of civil disobedience, they appear to have run out of options.

"I think we will talk to anybody along that route," Neufeld said, adding that he expects the government would not find it difficult to find new buyers for any properties it acquired.

"We haven't absolutely confirmed [buyouts] but we will be willing to talk to people. And at the end of the day I don't think they'd be on the market long. If we had to buy them and resell them I think they'd be off the market fairly quickly."

Residents are concerned about possible health hazards from electromagnetic fields in the vicinity of the lines -- although Neufeld noted that the fields will be substantially lower than thresholds established by the World Health Organization.

At present, the Tsawwassen right-of-way is occupied by 50-year-old power lines that are nearing the end of their lifespan for reliability. BC Transmission Corp. has instructions from the B.C. Utilities Commission to upgrade the route with new, higher voltage lines to maintain security of electricity supply to Vancouver Island.

Also on Monday, the government announced that it has rejected as too costly and time consuming a proposal to bury the new lines underground instead of putting them overhead -- Neufeld said the final cost to bury the lines could reach $100 million compared with $7 million to $8 million for overhead lines.

Cec Dunn, spokesman for Tsawwassen Residents Against High Voltage Overhead Lines, said in a telephone interview that the government's decision to proceed with the overhead project is likely to trigger "outrage" in the community.

He said his home is worth about $200,000 less than a comparable home in another part of the community.

"I'm retired, and I'm supposed to go get a mortgage so we can move away from these power lines?"

ssimpson@png.canwest.com

© The Vancouver Sun 2008

Run of River Power Inc.: Tsilhqot'in Power Project Submitted to BC Hydro's Bioenergy Call

Press Release:

Run of River Power Inc. (TSX VENTURE:ROR) ("Run of River") is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary Western Biomass Power Corp. ("Western Biomass") has together with the Tsilhqot'in National Government ("TNG"), submitted a formal proposal to BC Hydro, in response to the first Phase of its two Phased Bioenergy Call, to supply energy generated from forest based biomass. In addition, the newly formed Tsilhqot'in Power Corporation has made an Application with the British Columbia Transmission Corporation for a Feasibility Interconnection Study related to the Project.

Jako Krushnisky, President of Run of River stated, "Western Biomass and the TNG have worked very effectively together to ensure that this Application was filed before the March 7, 2008 deadline, placing themselves in a sound position to participate in the first Phase of BC Hydro's much anticipated Bioenergy Call."

T.J Grewal, Western Biomass's President, added, "we are pleased that we met what was a short window of opportunity with BC Hydro and continue to move forward on our mutual objectives to bring the Tsilqot'in Power Project to fruition."

About the Tsilhqot'in Power Project

Western Biomass, working together with the TNG, has completed a detailed engineering and fiber supply analysis for the proposed 60 MW Tsilhqot'in Power Project, located approximately 70 km west of Williams Lake. When completed, this plant will generate in excess of 450 GWh of electricity annually.

Joe Alphonse, Director of Government Services for the TNG expressed "the business relationship between the TNG and Western Biomass demonstrates the ability to work effectively within the Tsilhqot'in territory. The Tsilhqot'in Nation is open to business opportunities as long as the project adheres to our concerns around environmental stewardship and community based economic development such as the Tsilhqot'in Power Project."

About Run of River Power Inc.

Run of River operates an Eco Logo(C) certified hydroelectric power generation station at Brandywine Creek, near Whistler, BC and sells the power to BC Hydro on a long-term 20 year contract.

The Company is currently developing hydroelectric projects in two clusters located near Vancouver, British Columbia. Ten development projects, totaling 213 MW of capacity, will generate over 692 GWh/yr of electricity offsetting over 249,000 tons of CO2 annually, when completed, and will provide in excess of $60 Million per year in gross revenue to ROR, while significantly contributing to the Province of British Columbia's goal of energy self sufficiency.

The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Release.

What's Wrong With the Western Climate Initiative?

COMMENT: This is from the Seattle-based sustainability think-tank, SightLine. It offers one insight into the seriousness of intent of the BC government - Premier Campbell is an enthusiastic participant of the Western Climate Initiative - to rein in carbon emissions. Omit transportation fuels from emissions control, and it's like doing finger exercises to lose twenty pounds - ain't gonna work.

A second insight may be the firing this week of Louise Comeau (second article, below), perhaps the one person brought into a senior position on the Premier's Climate Action Team whom the environmental community knew, and thought they could trust.

What's Wrong With the Western Climate Initiative?

Posted by Eric de Place
SightLine News
03/06/2008

First proposal ducks biggest climate problem.

The Western Climate Initiative is a path-breaking effort. Insufficient federal progress prompted seven states and two provinces to join together to reduce climate pollution by means of an economy-wide cap and trade program. It's a momentous opportunity, and Sightline has been working hard to ensure that it's a success.

Unfortunately, there's now cause for serious concern.

Yesterday evening, WCI released it's draft proposal (pdf). It proposes an initial cap that would cover less than half of the region's total emissions. And most surprisingly, WCI does not recommend including emissions from transportation fuels, by far the largest source of climate pollution in the West. [Update 3/7: The recommendation doesn't exclude transportation precisely, but rather defers the decision until further economic studies are completed.]

The proposal is at odds with WCI's own stated principles that include a commitment to cover "as many emissions sources as practical." And for an effort born of frustration with federal lawmakers, it's bizarre that the proposal is significantly smaller in scope than recent federal bills, including Leiberman-Warner.

There are no big technical challenges to including transportation fuels. In fact, the WCI admits that while there are a couple of hurdles, it's administratively feasible to include transportation emissions. So what's going on?

No one knows for sure.

I have every reason to believe that Washington's and Oregon's representatives are taking the responsible approach; that they're negotiating for a broad scope to include transportation fuels.

That's as it should be, since without reductions from the transportation sector, it will be virtually impossible for the Northwest states to reach their climate goals. In fact, fully 47 percent of Washington's emissions come from the transportation sector alone.

Perhaps other states are reluctant to go along with a true economy-wide cap on carbon. Perhaps there are misunderstandings about how href="http://daily.sightline.org/daily_score/archive/2008/03/06/what-s-wrong-with-the-western-climate-initiative/resolveuid/e15cd882958705d6eb8b78ef5459c9a7">price affects demand. Perhaps there's simply fear of political fallout from pinching oil companies.

Or perhaps I'm being too hard on WCI. The truth is, it's very hard to tell what, exactly, they intend to do in the future. In places, they seem to want to include transportation, but then they also want to consider some other, untried, options as a substitute for an enforceable cap -- things like href="http://daily.sightline.org/daily_score/archive/2008/03/06/what-s-wrong-with-the-western-climate-initiative/resolveuid/59b8022f5df608c9235045bfac7c5e48">low-carbon fuel standards. They seem to want further economic analysis, and then they seem to gesture at excluding transportation if it's deemed that prices will rise.

Mostly, WCI seems to want to delay making a decision. But it's a decision so fundamental to the program that it affects every other decision. In fact, it jeopardizes the integrity of the entire initiative.

Maybe the best way of understanding what's going on is buried at the end of a technical appendix:

A problem with covering oil upstream is that the only compliance options available to regulated entities are buying allowances, selling or blending non-fossil fuels, or reducing fuel sales.

That's supposed to be a problem. But that's the whole point of a cap and trade program. That's the whole mechanism for reducing emissions. Oil companies will get three -- count 'em three -- options. They can pollute less; they can sell cleaner fuel; or they can buy pollution permits from other companies who will reduce their own pollution instead.

We can be flexible and creative about our approach, but there's no free lunch. If we don't reduce our climate pollution, we could be facing some href="http://daily.sightline.org/daily_score/archive/2008/03/06/what-s-wrong-with-the-western-climate-initiative/resolveuid/f9a896a0d1bd13c44c004e0e25f295e4">unpleasant consequences. We know what the problem is, and we know how to fix it. The only question now is whether we have the spine for good policy.

***

Postscript: if you want to get down and dirty with Sightline's argument for WCI's appropriate scope, here's the full monty.

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Top green advisor sacked by B.C. Libs

By SEAN HOLMAN
24 HOURS
March 13, 2008

Prominent environmentalist Louise Comeau - one of the premier's key climate action advisors - has been fired by the provincial government, 24 hours has learned. Her firing comes just eight months after she was hired as the climate action secretariat's public outreach and strategic engagement executive director.

Reached for comment, Comeau - who was awarded a four-month severance package - gave this brief statement: "It seems the fit wasn't right. And I wish everybody luck. And the issue is very important. And I hope the government succeeds in what it's trying to do."

Government was tight-lipped when contacted about the firing, refusing to respond to repeated requests for details. But New Democrat environment critic Shane Simpson was more verbose.

"Ms. Comeau came to this position with quite a bit of fanfare because of the environmental credentials and the credentials around community engagement that she brought to the table," Simpson said. "She's now been fired. And somebody should be explaining whether it's this government's complete lack of willingness to engage the public and do the right thing that forced her out."

Comeau joined the secretariat following a storied career as an environmental advocate, which included a stint as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' sustainable communities and environmental policy director.

Opposition to Upper Pitt power project closes public meeting

COMMENT: As noted here, "The Upper Pitt River Water Power Project would include seven small run-of-river hydro-electric components and send a powerline through Pinecone-Burke Provincial Park near Pitt Lake."

We have long maintained that parks are not places to simply park land until someone has a more profitable use for it. Parks are not places that should be subordinated, annexed, or chopped up in the service of the province's energy plans.

But this power developer wannabe has applied to the provincial government to annex Burke Mountain Provincial Park in order to construct a transmission line.

The government accepted the application for water rights fully aware that a transmission line through the park would be necessary.

Subsequently, it issued guidelines on how to go about applying for parkland for transmission lines.

Back in GSX Pipeline days, the proposed pipeline route went straight through an ecological zone between Salt Spring Island and the northern tip of the Saanich Peninsula. A freedom of information request - heavily redacted, we might add - revealed that for two years, starting even before the pipeline project was made public, bureaucrats in BC Parks and government ministers were meeting with BC Hydro to figure out how to accommodate BC Hydro's plans and minimize public awareness and opposition.

Now, it appears nothing needs to be redacted. There's no pretense to cater to public opinion. The government wants this to happen. The meter has run out on Burke Mountain.

If you are in the Lower Mainland, the next public meeting on this project is Tuesday, March 4. It would be great if you could pack it so damn full that they can't find a place big enough to hold a meeting.

A good backgrounder is available from the Burke Mountain Naturalists website: www.bmn.bc.ca/doc%5CUPinfo.pdf

There are three processes under way right now. Please intervene in them all.

1. The project is in pre-application status with the Environmental Assessment Office. The EAO will receive comments on the draft Terms of Reference (TOR) until April 8, 2008. The draft TOR are here:
http://www.eao.gov.bc.ca/epic/output/html/deploy/epic_document_291_25465.html

Your invitation to comment is here: http://tinyurl.com/2v9vp5. Send your comments to UpperPittRiver@gov.bc.ca.

The EAO is pretty anal about what's taken into consideration with these comments - you have to speak to the draft TOR. "THIS PROJECT SUCKS" doesn't carry any weight. - but let 'er rip. Once the final TOR are approved (by the EAO), the company will go away and write up an application containing an environmental impact assessment which will address all the points in the TOR. Then a window will open up for more public comments.

2. The company has applied to have the park boundaries realigned. The deadline for public comment is April 2. You can send them by email to PineconeBurke@gov.bc.ca.

More information, including the application (which you should read before sending your comments (again, "SUCKS" probably will be ignored.)
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/planning/bound_adj_policy.html#pinecone

3. The company is holding three open houses. The first was in Squamish on Feb 27. The second was Feb 28 in Pitt Meadows and so packed that "the Fire Marshall was called in and the meeting was shut down." Hmm. No intent to stifle dissent, we're sure. Just a public safety issue. This meeting will be rescheduled. The third meeting is Tuesday, March 4, 4:00-9:00 pm in Mission (Best Western Mission City Lodge, 32281 Lougheed Hwy). Please car pool if you are coming out from Vancouver. Public transit at that time of day isn't very helpful, but a drive to Mission is worth it.

It's uncivil, and won't persuade anyone that you are correct, but signs and statements that say things like "THIS PROJECT SUCKS", well, we wouldn't counsel that, if you catch our drift.

If enough people are expressive enough for long enough, media and politicians will notice.

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Power-full meeting cancelled by attendance

CKNW
Feb, 28 2008

PITT MEADOWS/CKNW(AM980) - A proposed power project near Pitt Meadows cutting through a provincial park brought out plenty of opposition at a public meeting Thursday evening. Too many, in fact.

The Upper Pitt River Water Power Project would include seven small run-of-river hydro-electric components and send a powerline through Pinecone-Burke Provincial Park near Pitt Lake.

But, hundreds of people packed a public meeting to oppose the plan because of environmental and First Nations concerns. So many, the Fire Marshall was called in and the meeting was shut down.

The company behind the project, Northwest-Cascade Power, promises to schedule another meeting.

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Communities rally against IPP

Laura Hendrick
Squamish Chief
February 29, 2008

People from as far as Pitt River delivered passionate pleas to protect Pinecone Burke Provincial Park Monday (Feb. 25). Banners hung outside Sea to Sky Hotel reading, “Save the Upper Pitt!” and “Save BC’S Parks” seemed to set the tone for the open house hosted by BC Parks, the Environmental Assessment Office and Northwest Cascade Power.

The run-of-river company has proposed an Independent Power Project (IPP) on the Upper Pitt River. They have applied to change the boundaries of Pinecone Park to accommodate a transmission line, which would cross over 4.7 kilometres of its northern tip to connect with the Cheekye Substation north of Squamish.

The room of about 60 people broke out in cheers each time someone spoke against the proposal and questions quickly escalated to attacks on the B.C. government.

While some said decent citizens would never propose such a project, much of the criticism hit parks staff rather than the proponent.

“I don’t have a single question for this private company whose job it is to make a profit,” said Joe Foy of the Western Canada Wilderness Committee. “I see no information from BC Parks that helps me separate the bull**t from the truth from this company.”

“Where’s your display fighting for the park?” asked Ehor Boyanowsky, adding that park staff seemed to have resigned themselves to being apologists rather than advocates.

BC Parks Planner Brett Hudson said he was required to consider any proposal to change a park boundary, adding that any change would require legislature approval. The change would also have to be in the public’s interest.

According to company president Jako Krushnisky, the project could create enough electricity to power 55,700 homes, adding more renewable energy to the Hydro grid. He said building a transmission line across park is only being considered because there is no other options.

Studies have shown the area has seasonal wildlife use by mountain goats and grizzly bears. It is composed of old growth forest, wetlands and grass meadows.

“The old growth... we’ve tried to avoid them as best we can,” said project spokesperson Russ Tyson. When asked why the open houses were not scheduled for Vancouver and Coquitlam where the push had originally come to create Pinecone Burke Provincial Park in 1996, Hudson said the proponent chooses meeting locations. He said open houses could be scheduled for the city if “amenable” to the proponent.

“...the private company that wants to wreck our park gets to choose where those meeting are and aren’t,” said Foy. The project is in the early stages of the Environmental Assessment Process. The public is invited to comment on the proposed draft Terms of Reference on the EAO website until April 8.

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The price of power

Inevitable increases in our Hydro bills mostly stem from bad government policy and bad BCUC decisions

BY JIM QUAIL
BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre
Vancouver Sun
March 3, 2008

The days of cheap electricity in British Columbia are coming to an end. BC Hydro bills will rise dramatically every year for the next decade and beyond.

Some of the cost is unavoidable: The best sites for large power dams have been used up. Any new power resources will cost more. Climate change policy will also push energy prices up.

Clean power sources are more expensive and are unreliable: Wind power is available only when the wind blows, and run- of- river hydro is available only when there is lots of water in the stream.

But the bigger part of the story is the cost of bad policy by government and bad decisions by the B. C. Utilities Commission.

They are needlessly loading cost onto households, and will place those with fixed or limited incomes in a dire situation. Within a couple of winters, many seniors and tenants will have to choose between going cold or going hungry.

The biggest problem is the government’s policy of “electricity self- sufficiency.”

It sounds like a great idea. Why should we rely on our neighbours for energy if we don’t have to?

It’s a nice slogan, but it’s a dumb idea, especially the way Victoria has defined it.

Our need for electricity fluctuates through the year. We use lots to keep warm in the winter, but our demand drops off in the summer. It’s the other way around in California. Their peak is in the summer when air conditioners are going full blast. During the summer our reservoirs are brimming with the spring runoff, and we have far more capacity than we need.

So B. C. imports electricity during our peaks, and exports to the U. S. when our needs are low.

Although we have been net electricity importers, we buy when power is relatively cheap and sell when it’s expensive, so we make money on cross- border trade. The first $ 200 million profit each year is used to keep our Hydro bills down.

The government’s self- sufficiency policy means generating far more than enough to meet our own needs, even in dry years. We will pay for generation resources that will sit idle most of the time, or be used for exports. And we will pay far more than we can hope to get on the international spot market when our glut is sold.

Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? The winners are private sector electricity generation companies that the provincial government is forcing BC Hydro to buy from.

As if this isn’t enough, the government wants BC Hydro to install “ smart meters” on all our homes. They can tell what time of day the power is flowing.

The idea is to design rates so you pay more during peak demand hours (around dinner time) and less in off- peak (the middle of the night.)

In theory this will encourage us to run appliances off- peak. However, it does not actually result in any energy conservation — all it does is move the time of day when we consume it. The atmosphere is no better off.

The price tag for these electronic toys is a half a billion dollars and rising. The savings? They will eliminate employing meter- readers, whose wages cost far less than the new meters. And, judging by reliability issues it will cost lots to keep them running.

In case that wasn’t bad enough, the BC Utility Commission recently decided to shift millions of dollars of cost from businesses to households. It said this was so that customer groups would each bear their full share. However, it admitted that its calculations include a margin of error that accounts for roughly half of this 11- per- cent increase over the next three years, on top of all the other increases in the works. After the commission refused to hear an appeal from the decision, the government announced that it will intervene and quash it (the second instalment will come less than two months before the next provincial election.)

And still more bad news: The Commission wants BC Hydro to change its rates so people who heat their homes with electricity will be hit far harder.

It’s not as though people with baseboard heating in their homes could afford to retrofit gas furnaces and ducts to avoid a Hydro rate increase. They will have no choice but to absorb the new high cost, or shiver through cold nights.

Add all this up, and Hydro bills are set to double in less than a decade.

Some of this is inevitable. A large portion is the direct result of shortsighted decisions by Victoria and the BC Utility Commission.