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Media Release/Communiqué
For Immediate Release: March 29th, 2006
BCSEA
comments on BC Hydro IEP submission
Victoria–The BC Sustainable Energy Association welcomes
today’s release of
BC Hydro’s Integrated Electricity Plan and “Challenges
and Choices: Planning for a Secure Electricity Future”.
“BC Hydro’s electricity acquisitions will be
decided in a competitive bid process among coal, wind, gas
or other bidders,” said Tom Hackney, BCSEA policy analyst. “Unfortunately
this process does not reflect the harm of resources like
coal that contribute to climate change through greenhouse
gas emissions, and this will skew the calculation of what
is truly lowest cost.”
“This plan presents British Columbia with a huge opportunity
for sustainable energy,” said Guy Dauncey, BCSEA president. “Energy
conservation is the cheapest way to meet most of our new
demand. For the rest, government should follow Ontario’s
recent example and implement a Standard Offer Contract to
kick-start a renewable energy industry in BC.”
“It’s up to British Columbians to tell government
that they want an energy plan that will meet current needs
without harming future generations,” said Peter Ronald,
BCSEA Coordinator. “‘Clean coal’ is just
an industry advertising slogan. In spite of pilot programs,
carbon sequestration of emissions is a huge problem and unlikely
ever to become economically feasible.”
Recent polling information published by BC Hydro (Integrated
Electricity Plan advertisement, October 2005) shows that
British Columbians are squarely in favour of renewable energy
and energy conservation to meet future energy needs:
66% strongly support energy conservation (PowerSmart);
94% support or strongly support wind power;
74% support or strongly support small hydro "run-of-river" projects;
57% support or strongly support Site C;
74% oppose or strongly oppose coal-fuelled projects.
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For More Information please contact:
Tom Hackney (250) 381-4463
Guy Dauncey (250) 881-1304
Peter Ronald (250) 744-2720
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