To the editor:
I wish to respond to Dave Conway's guest shot on BC Hydro's Site C dam in the March 2 edition.
He says B.C. needs more power, but power demand in B.C. has levelled off in recent years.
That's what happens when hydro rates go up every year. And we know that our hydro rates will continue to go up every year in the future.
Site C would add greatly to BC Hydro's already huge and growing debt and make hydro rates climb even faster. In addition to its massive and growing debt, BC Hydro owes over $56 billion for power from IPPs (Independent Power Projects). This fiscal disaster is the fault of the BC Liberal Government.
BC Hydro is also hiding billions of debt in deferral accounts.
Site C would flood roughly 85 km of the Peace River Valley. It would be the largest ever removal of land from the B.C. Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).
Agricultural land means land which can be used for agriculture.
Normally a BC Hydro project of this size would need approval from the regulator, the BCUC. The BC Liberal Government removed that requirement.
Site C is an unnecessary financial and ecological disaster.
Hugh Thomas
100 Mile House
