Campbell Applauds BCUC Decision

Friday, February 01, 2008 03:51 AM

Prince George, B.C. - Premier Gordon Campbell says he's pleased with a decision by the B.C. Utilities Commission to approve a power sale agreement between Rio Tinto Alcan and B.C. Hydro. (click here, for previous story)

"This generates long-term, firm electricity, which we need in the province," says Campbell. "It's going to reduce emissions by about 70-percent in Kitimat, it's going to secure long-term jobs in the community -- it's about a $2-billion dollar investment should Rio Tinto decide to go ahead with it (modernization of the smelter)."

The BCUC ruling did not dictate that Rio Tinto had to proceed with the modernization, as a condition of approving the sales agreement. The project will go to the company's Board of Directors for final approval.

The Premier says, "I am hopeful from all the conversations I've had that they will go ahead, so I can't tell you anymore than that -- they are going to look at their numbers, they're going to see whether it works and it will be in our best interests if it does and they go ahead."

"If they decide not to go ahead, that's not very good news for us."

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Posted on Friday, February 01, 2008 03:51 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: lunarbase on February 1 2008 6:15 AM

So now BCUC has sold out to the Campbell way of giving everything to big business and leaving nothing to the residents of BC !

Generates long term, firm power, at a much higher rate than if BCHydro was allowed to build, manage and operate hydro dams itself !

Then not to link the construction of the smelter renovations to this, that is such an asinine move !

Posted by: Andyfreeze on February 1 2008 7:33 AM

"if they decide not to go ahead,thats not very good news for us."
(What a brilliant statement!)
Your right lunarbase,it IS an assinine move but it is also typical Gordon Campbell!
People WILL figure this guy out eventually,however, it might be a bit late when they finally do!

Posted by: diplomat on February 1 2008 8:10 AM

""If they decide not to go ahead, that's not very good news for us."

Really? One would think that the Premier of the province is being kept informed on a daily basis about the status of a 2 billion dollar mega project and doesn't have to rely on *hope* alone to plan for what may be coming in the future.

Jimmy Pattison some years ago bought up a bunch of (empty?) apartment buildings in Kitimat - perhaps he has more accurate knowledge about the future of the mega project.

Perhaps somebody should give him a call.

Posted by: giterdun on February 1 2008 8:13 AM

IT'S MY GUESS THAT THEY WILL FIND AN EXCUSE NOT TO PROCEED WITH THE SMELTER PROJECT. THEY HAVE NEVER COMPLETED ANY OF THEIR MAJOR PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER. (IE. STEEL MILL IN VANDERHOOF--COLD WATER RELEASE ON KENNY DAM.) THEY WILL SAY WHAT THEY HAVE TO, TO GET WHAT THEY WANT, BUT THERE IS ALWAYS A TRICK ESCAPE CLAUSE THAT ALLOWS THEM BACK OUT. OUR GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATORS ARE TOTALY OUT CLASSED WHEN IT COME TO DEALING WITH ALCAN.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on February 1 2008 9:27 AM

I think you are probably right giterdun,but I also think the so called "government negotiators" know EXACTLY what is going on with Alcan, and so does Gordon Campbell!
Beware backroom deals!

Posted by: astro on February 1 2008 11:30 AM

This is another big step in the privatization of electrical energy in BC. This is what Paul Nettelton was warning us about and why he was removed from the BC Liberal caucus. Campbell is in power to help big business interests, not to help the citizens of this province.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on February 1 2008 11:38 AM

Your right astro,but the tough part is nobody will actually believe that until it's too damn late!

Posted by: lunarbase on February 1 2008 2:29 PM

http://www.publicpowerbc.ca/

Posted by: Palopu on February 1 2008 9:14 PM

Campbell is full of crap. If the new smelter is not built then the alternative would be to shut down the Aluminum Plant and sell all the power to Hydro. Huge dollars for Alcan, huge power supply for Hydro, and to hell with the people of Kitimat, Terrace.

I agree with Andyfreeze, this is all being done in the back rooms. Tax payers are being mushroomed as usual.

It sure would be nice to have three healthy political groups in the Province. Anyone want to start the BC Independent Party, split the votes and seats and put an end to all this **BS**

Posted by: Andyfreeze on February 2 2008 8:57 AM

Where do I sign on Palopu?
B.C.politics are a joke.
We have absolutely zero control over our "elected leaders"and it is really starting to show.
All we have to do is pay attention to the money being pumped into the economy and the infrastruture on the lower mainland, and we know damn well the Campbell government doesn't give a rat's ass about anything beyond Hope and outside the Okanagan.
For example,our roads everywhere up here are a mess, and will only get worse.
The Fraser canyon is as bad as I have ever seen it, and so is everything above the canyon.
What we actually have in here B.C.,is a dictatorship by election, and if these Campbell pawns of big business are not stopped cold,we are going to regret that bigtime!
I just can't figure out how we do that, given the political system that we have now,and don't think they are not aware of that little fact!

Posted by: pisspulper on February 2 2008 8:12 PM

Our political system is set up in form it seems to provide momentum to what seems to be very much like a dictatorship. The manner in which the ridings and seats are apportioned only fuels the power for the dominant areas. So Northern votes in BC Provincial elections are as useful as Western votes in the Federal fiasco. So when you here the apathetic mutterings of "If you don't vote , you have no right to bitch", please excuse their ignorance, as they presume that this electoral system actually works in their favor. To correct this situation voting must be per capita on the whole entity, this way in either scenario your vote is represented singularily as a vote in the electoral entity not in the favored area. Now your votes count for something, albeit population bias still favors the opinion of the masses, at least you get a sense of the real picture.

On another note, I love driving through the Canyon on my travels North and South, it does need some fine tuning. Shame though, I used to think this was like a BC attraction. Where is the Okanagan? {:)

Posted by: pisspulper on February 3 2008 3:52 AM