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Resident agrees Site C project unnecessary

B.C. government should invest in hydro plant upgrades, conservation

To the editor:

I am responding to Paul Kariya’s Guest Shot, headlined Site C dam need questioned, on page A8 of the Nov. 27 edition of the 100 Mile House Free Press.

I agree that the proposed Site C project would be hugely expensive and probably not necessary for British Columbia. It would also flood agricultural land.

Future growth in electricity demand in B.C. would come from things like liquefied natural gas (LNG) export, which now seems dubious.

Unlike Mr. Kariya, I don’t think more independent power projects (IPPs) are the answer, though.

IPPs are privately owned and sell power to BC Hydro. Most are run-of-river projects, which produce a lot of power in the spring, when BC Hydro doesn’t need it.

BC Hydro is forced by contract to buy the IPP power whether it needs it or not – even when its own reservoirs are full.

I think future electricity demand in B.C. should be mostly met by existing BC Hydro plants, plant upgrades and conservation.

Already BC Hydro owes over $50 billion for long-term IPP power contracts – too much! That money will not be going to upgrading BC Hydro’s existing power plants.

Hugh Thomas

100 Mile House