Closing Burrard Thermal to Cost Us Up to a $ Billion

[whatnext]

Since Burrard Thermal is a piece of built infrastructure, it deserves it own thread.

Article in today's Sun reveals that closing Burrard Thermal will cost us $500 million to $1 Billion. No that's not mothballing or remediation costs - its the extra cost of power BC Hydro will be forced to buy from private producers to replace the power. Of course, we all know who's cozy with the new private power producers popping up, don't we? No wonder Gordo & Crew had to override the BC Utilities Commssion to get this pushed though. :hell:

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Closing+Burrard+will+cost+million+billion/1958879/story.html

[WarrenC12]

Since Burrard Thermal is a piece of built infrastructure, it deserves it own thread.

Article in today's Sun reveals that closing Burrard Thermal will cost us $500 million to $1 Billion. No that's not mothballing or remediation costs - its the extra cost of power BC Hydro will be forced to buy from private producers to replace the power. Of course, we all know who's cozy with the new private power producers popping up, don't we? No wonder Gordo & Crew had to override the BC Utilities Commssion to get this pushed though. :hell:

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Closing+Burrard+will+cost+million+billion/1958879/story.html

Do you have a clue how disgustingly inefficient and dirty that plant is?

Cash crazy Gordo could turn that thing on at 100% capacity and sell that power for a profit if he wanted to. The BCUC's basic opinion was that Burrard should be kept for emergencies. I don't have a problem with that provided the ongoing maintenance isn't too expensive, but to rely on it is a mistake.

How can we protest the Sumas/Sumas 2 plants in the US when we have Burrard cranking out the crap?

These private power contracts are open for anyone. If you build a windmill and sell power to BC Hydro, are you suddenly Gordo's buddy? :koko:

[whatnext]

Do you have a clue how disgustingly inefficient and dirty that plant is?

Cash crazy Gordo could turn that thing on at 100% capacity and sell that power for a profit if he wanted to. The BCUC's basic opinion was that Burrard should be kept for emergencies. I don't have a problem with that provided the ongoing maintenance isn't too expensive, but to rely on it is a mistake.

How can we protest the Sumas/Sumas 2 plants in the US when we have Burrard cranking out the crap?

These private power contracts are open for anyone. If you build a windmill and sell power to BC Hydro, are you suddenly Gordo's buddy? :koko:

Did you even read the article?

...Phasing out the Burrard plant will in fact have only a minor impact on B.C.'s greenhouse gas emissions. However, what it will do, by BC Hydro's own estimates, is increase electricity costs in the province by $500 million to $1 billion, possibly more. Without the security of supply Burrard offers, BC Hydro will have to contract for more private power supply, at significant cost. In most years that power will be surplus to BC Hydro's requirements and exported at a loss. Market prices in the Pacific Northwest are less than half the price BC Hydro is paying for new private supply.

Why is Gordo forcing our power company to buy expensive private power, when Burrard Thermal is there for just those emergencies?

[Metro-One]

I agree, this is stupid, not to mention if it closes there are more lost Canadian jobs. Are we trying to kill all of Vancouver's industrial facilities?

[Stingray2004]

Did you even read the article?

Do you even know who authored the article? Marvin Shaffer who is connected with the ideological Citizen's for Public Power. Shaffer even failed a peer review of some of his previous work. Biased stuff. 'Nuff said.


Why is Gordo forcing our power company to buy expensive private power, when Burrard Thermal is there for just those emergencies?


Are you aware that BC Hydro recently rehabilitated its 1920's era Aberfeldie Run-of-River generating station in the East Kootenays and the capital costs went considerably over budget?

And that the cost of electricity for that BC Hydro R-o-R facility now comes in at $84 MWh? Which cost is more expensive than what some IPP's are selling to BC Hydro? And that transmission lines were already available to the site?

Do you know who made this statement about private IPP power?

"This is just the beginning of a new partnership between government and independent power producers -- a vision that will ensure British Columbians continue to have access to affordable, environmentally friendly supplies of energy and a vision that involves our government working in partnership with the private sector to create jobs and economic prosperity for British Columbians in all regions of the province."

New Democrat Premier Mike Harcourt in 1995.

http://www.theprovince.com/story_print.html?id=1671201&sponsor=

Did you know that BC Hydro, under the NDP government, provided a list of 600 rivers to IPP's in 1999 as well as a manual on how to construct run of river projects?

Do you know that Manitoba Hydro, under the current NDP administration, is purchasing expensive IPP power from large wind farms (St. Leon and St. Joseph) even with Manitoba Hydro's huge generating capacity?

As for Burrard Thermal, that antiquated facility was opened during the cold war in 1962, before the major hydro generating facilities were constructed later on. It's main purpose ever since has been to act as "back-up" power generation for the Lower Mainland during peak load requirements such as during the peak summer heat period as well as the cold winter period.

Furthermore, if the transmission lines to the Peace and Columbia hydro generating stations are damaged, it can also be started up/operated in an emergency to prevent brown/black outs here in the Lower Mainland.

One thing to remember though - unlike hydro facilities, which utilize water (a zero cost input), Burrard Thermal utilizes natural gas as an input and that input cost can become very expensive (as high as ~$14.00 Cdn/Gigajoule in early 2006). Much more expensive than IPP power.

BC Liberal and NDP politicians cried blue murder when the Sumas 2 was proposed across the border several years back. It was to have been a natural-gas generating station. Fraser Valley residents were concerned about the airshed. Again, BC Hydro abandonded the natural-gas Duke Point generating facility near Nanaimo several years back - again due to the outcry over polluting the Lower Mainland airshed.

Alas, Burrard Thermal should not comprise part of BC Hydro's base-load as suggested by the recent BCUC decision but should continue to act as emergency back-up power when needed.

[whatnext]

...As for Burrard Thermal, that antiquated facility was opened during the cold war in 1962, before the major hydro generating facilities were constructed later on. It's main purpose ever since has been to act as "back-up" power generation for the Lower Mainland during peak load requirements such as during the peak summer heat period as well as the cold winter period.

Furthermore, if the transmission lines to the Peace and Columbia hydro generating stations are damaged, it can also be started up/operated in an emergency to prevent brown/black outs here in the Lower Mainland...
.

This is the relevant part of your post, aside from the partisan talking points. And it doesn't favour your thesis. Burrard Thermal is indeed just a back-up for the system. So why stick the taxpayers with One Billion Dollars of unecessary costs (which conveniently flow into corporate hands) for a back-up system?

..Alas, Burrard Thermal should not comprise part of BC Hydro's base-load as suggested by the recent BCUC decision but should continue to act as emergency back-up power when needed.

Your asking us to believe the BCUC has no expertise in the matter. That we should believe that paragon of truthiness, Gordon(No HST)Campbell instead? :rolleyes: