This will be interesting project.
The B.C.government has probably already decided to build it and I really wonder how much the public actually thinks has to do with anything.
In the end,they will do exactly what they want to do,as always.
The main issue is where that power will go, and how much it will cost us to get it there.
In the big scheme,450 thousand homes isn't really all that many,so is it about power...or money?
I don't dispute that we WILL need this power over the long term,but how it is set up and who has the control over it does make me a bit nervous!
I favour B.C.Hydro control but that may not be the case, if the Campbell governmentis true to form.

Yeah, I think people have become pretty apathetic about this whole project, myself included. It's not a matter of if Site C will be built, it's just the details and logistics that have to be hashed out. As much as I don't want it to be built, the powers that be have already made their decision.

how long would it take at the current cost of power to pay for the project and if the taxpayer is going to pay for it what is in it for us. Hopefully not an increase in power costs.

What really bothers me is do we need the power or are we building the dam to export it to the USA? How much power are we exporing at the present time? Does anyone Know? Are we building the dam for profit to a provate corporation?

Cheers

Why? Hydro knows they are going to build here regardless...I doubt they care about we tax payers...as long as Campbell and his "yes people" say go for it it will happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have no doubt IT WILL HAPPEN!!!!!!!

We really need to ramp up construction of electrical generation facilities. Wind, water, whatever.

I am all for increasing electrical production as a prelude to decreasing our dependence on carbon fuels.

I am somewhat reluctant to endorse private sector involvement, but not totally against it. There are always many factors to consider.

Sell the powers to the damn Yankees, This time make sure we have a certified check before we hook up the line. Not like the Columbia deal.

BC Hydro is trying to convince us that we are a power-hungry province but their own annual reports don’t support this. From BC Hydro's 2007 Annual Report 33,815 GWhs was imported at cheaper off-peak prices for trade (not to satisfy demand). Then they exported 33, 372 GWhs at peak prices to the States. They did also import 5,698 GWhs to satisfy the domestic need, a small drop in the bucket compared to what they are trading (slightly down from 5800 GWhs in their 2006 Annual Report). Destroying a river valley with prime agricultural land and wildlife habitat, which is definitely not 'green', is not necessary to satisfy BC’s energy demands. It could easily be achieved through conservation and through IPPs that produce alternative 'green' sources of energy. These ‘green’ energy producers would include geothermal, wind, solar, and tidal. Geothermal plants, in particular, can produce significant power with little effect on the environment. There are projects at Pebble Creek by Meager Mountain that have the potential of producing 300 MW of 'green' power (the Dam would be 900 MW and not 'green'). This would also put the power source closer to where it is needed, down south, substantially reducing the anticipated 10% loss in power from site C due to transmission. The problem with exporting to the states lies in destroying our river valleys to satisfy what is more accurately the demands of the states rather than the demands of BC.

The consultation process undertaken by B.C. Hydro is based on a presupposition, that people in the Peace River area actually want a megadam seven kilometres from Fort St. John. Business owners may see opportunities to make money, but this is short-sighted. The valley will be changed forever. Not only changed, but destroyed. Multigeneration homes will be flooded. Animal habitat will be flooded.

So right now, Stage 2 of the consultation process is focusing on issues such as how to prepare the site for a reservoir, materials to build the dam and the relocation and reclamation of excavated soil and rock. There will also be public discussion about the use of the bridge to access the powerhouse and the use of associated access roads.

B.C. Hydro has not asked the elementary question: do we need this dam.

It is important that as many people as possible stand up and be counted. We do not need this dam to make the province energy self-sufficient by 2016. We need to conserve energy, and we need to stop selling electricity to other jurisdictions.

From a Fort St. John resident for 31 years

Lot's of valid questions in these posts, but I doubt most of the pointed ones will be answered, either now or later.
"Bridge" is on the money...how much of this power will be exported out (to,as we are told,keep our hydro here affordable?)
I think we know enough now from the Alcan/RioTinto/Campbell farce that this is complete bullsh**t!
"northernspirits" last line in his post at 12:39 says..
"The problem with exporting to the states lies in destroying our river valleys to satisfy the demands of the states, rather than the demands of B.C."
That's it in a nutshell,but the chances of getting the present B.C.corporate ass- kissing Liberal government to admit that will be next to impossible.
If they are true to form, as past governments have been,the taxpayers of B.C. will lose... again.

Site C will be built for the U.S. And probably given to them so that we in B.C. will be be paying world market prices.

The end is near for the deal that went when Bennet Dam was built "Cheap power for the people of B.C. and owned by the people of B.C."

Campbell will have and is in the process of selling our utility owned buy the B.C. taxpayer. So you can look forward to your Hydro bill doubling or maybe tripleing in the near future

Arnie and Gordo hand in hand. That reminds me. California still owes Hydro million of dollars and won't pay, figure that one out.

By the way...It's not B.C. Hydro it's BCTC, formed to export and import power on the world market, another form of privitizeation.

Actually BC Hydro imports and exports through their subsidiary Powerex.
Even if BC Hydro doesn't seem to be listening at all, its very important to keep fighting and get out to the open houses.

Don't let BC Hydro flood prime agricultural land - the only Class 1 soil north of Quesnel.

Actually BC Hydro imports and exports through their subsidiary Powerex.
Even if BC Hydro doesn't seem to be listening at all, its very important to keep fighting and get out to the open houses.

Okay, BC Hydro's imports/exports are done through BCTC and Powerex.