The Written Word, October 13th

Monday, October 13, 2008 03:45 AM

I’m embarking on a visit to Terrace, Kitimat and Prince Rupert to speak on the Save Our Rivers Society’s position (www.saveourrivers.ca) on independent power producers and BC Hydro. I haven’t been there since

1995 when Terrace Council passed a resolution declaring Terrace a “Rafe Mair Free Zone”.

I can understand their position. I was busting my backside to kill the Kemano Completion Project which, if it went ahead, would be economically beneficial at least in the short term, to this region. Many who worked for Alcan thought it unwise, to say the least, to criticize the company that enabled them to make a living.

I was fighting Alcan and the two governments involved the on environmental grounds that their ruination of the Nechako would decimate the Sockeye and, to a lesser degree, Chinooks who used the Nechako to go into the Stuart system to spawn.

One day I interviewed Bill Rich, a vice president of Alcan, on my show on CKNW. After a bit of grilling he got annoyed and said “Alcan isn’t in the aluminum business – it’s in the electricity business”. That confirmed in my mind that Alcan had no interest in expanding their operation in Kitimat and that, indeed, they were cutting back. So much for their solemn vow to build more plants in the region!

I believe that the people on the North Coast now realize that what is now Rio Tinto Alcan couldn’t care less about the families that depend upon them.

This bit from Oscar Wilde seems so appropriate – they know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

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Posted on Monday, October 13, 2008 03:45 AM in Views by Rafe Mair

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Comments

Posted by: RUEZ on October 13 2008 5:22 AM

Thank you for your work to stop Kemano Completion. I grew up in Vanderhoof where Alcan had a mostly negative impact. Many broken promises and a declining river.

Posted by: diplomat on October 13 2008 9:41 AM

I certainly agree with the comment of RUEZ about the planned Kemano Completion which was scrapped.

"I believe that the people on the North Coast now realize that what is now Rio Tinto Alcan couldn�t care less about the families that depend upon them."

Hasn't Rio Tinto committed itself to the modernization of the old smelter in Kitimat? Although employing less people once completed wouldn't that ensure the continuing existence of the city of Kitimat for many decades?

The Alcan *promise* to build a smelter in Vanderhoof wasn't taken seriously (even at the time it was made) by more than a handful of people who knew nothing about the futility of bringing imported bauxite (by train?) to Vanderhoof at great expense, plus train loads of carbon paste and finally shipping the smelted aluminum back to some port for export!

I am not aware that Alcan promised to build any other plants in the region.

What would they have been?

Posted by: seamutt on October 13 2008 12:33 PM

Just some basic facts on Alcan. The Kemano generating plant can produce about 900 megawatts when all equipment is running. The smelter can use about 700 mw's with everything running. The Hydro connection between Kitimat and Terrace can only handle 300 mw's. So even if the smelter shuts down Alcan would only be able to sell 300 of the 900mw's available without upgrading the Kitimat Terrace conection. So if the existing line is upgraded or twinned start wondering whats up.

Posted by: diplomat on October 13 2008 12:43 PM

Interesting! Are there power lines in Terrace that are capable of handling an additional 900 megawatts?

Posted by: seamutt on October 13 2008 1:35 PM

diplomat, yes there is a substation just south of Terrace that connects to the provinces main 500 kv grid.

Posted by: diplomat on October 13 2008 4:20 PM

Thanks!

Posted by: gus on October 13 2008 4:55 PM

A Rafe Mair free zone sounds like he got not only the key to the city but gets free accommodation and food whenever he is in town. That is pretty generous.