A fresh view on the power fiasco.

Electrical power the universal legal tender.

I recently had the opportunity to watch an interview by a Vancouver TV station and BC Hydro. It was very candid and well done by both partities.

Of interest
BC Hydro because of the great elevation differences in that province has a bountiful resource in electricity generated by water power, the least expensive of all generation choices.

Being so very low in cost BC Hydro finds its way clear to export power to the US and beyond. As they explained the western provinces are all on one grid from Saskatchewan through BC to Mexico. Very neat when you think about it!

Hydro power can be turned off, the rotors stopped, when power is not required. This is not possible with coal generation where the fires have to keep going to keep the steam available for the next demand.

There is a huge drop in demand at night. At this time BC buys Alberta’s over production at a cost less than what they can produce water generated power for. They simply shut down their water turbines to save wear and maintenance.

It follows then that we in Alberta pay the higher prices in the day time to cover the evening export losses. Ralph and company have announced a 1.6 billion dollar power line build to export electricity. This is just a start, up grading the link to Langdon, near Calgary.

New coal power production at Brooks will feed Calgary (which is not needed) and export. The prices for the southern leg of the export grid is not in discussion at this time but, it will cost you more billions!

This will mean more power exported in the evenings at even lower rates and you and I paying still higher day time rates.

I tell you true folks, this crew has got to go!

cyberclark@shaw.ca