Gas Prices

[Alex Mackinnon]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

But what exactly is the bargaining chip that Canada holds? Not dumping a flood of water downstream? Or are there any benefits as Canadians to not being in the treaty.

BC Hydro also regulate the flows to Grand Coulee Dam, which helps to maximize hydroelectric production there, and provide flood storage.

If they don't want to pay for the flood storage, BC Hydro should be able to increase the water elevation at Mica and a couple other dams and to generate more electricity.

They're currently obligated to keep a certain portion of the reservoirs empty to hold back flood events. If they're no longer obligated, they would be able to use that storage capacity for generation rather than flood protection.

[WestCoastEcho]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

As an offset though, generation on the Columbia in BC could follow demand directly, instead of in coordination. The loss would at least be partially offset with being able to sell to the USA and Alberta electricity markets without consideration for flooding, seasonality, or even weekly or daily load following in the USA.



The loss of coordination might even raise the Columbia hub prices enough that BC hydro ends up ahead!


Oh, and the carbon price is going to go up to $170 according to the feds. How the BC government wants to allocate that is up to them.

Originally Posted by jollyburger

But what exactly is the bargaining chip that Canada holds? Not dumping a flood of water downstream? Or are there any benefits as Canadians to not being in the treaty.

The cancellation of the treaty would mean that the Assured Annual Flood Control is terminated.

In the treaty, Canada agreed to provide 8.45 million acre feet (increased to 8.95 million acre feet in 1995 due to a reallocation of storage from Arrow to Mica) of assured annual water storage for flood control purposes for 60 years at the three Treaty reservoirs [Duncan, Arrow Lakes (Keenleyside), and Kinbasket]. This portion of the treaty expires in 2024, automatically.

Post 2024, it moves to Called Upon operation of Canadian storage space.

For each request the United States must pay the operating costs. This provision remains in effect as long as the Columbia River Treaty dams exist, even if the Columbia River Treaty is terminated.

It just means that Canada will no longer be compensated annually financially, and we loose the Canadian entitlement to electricity generated in the US.

[MalcolmTucker]

^ Which yeah, I am sure the populist sentiment in the USA is that we should provide those goods to them for free. Instead, they will need to allocate flood storage on their side at grand coulee as they did before.

[jollyburger]

$1.70 gas this summer

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/pain-at-the-pu...uver-1.5312021

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

$1.70 gas this summer

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/pain-at-the-pu...uver-1.5312021

I think over the coming weeks we will learn the damages in Texas have been much more severe than expected. Way more than than any hurricane could do. Fortunately we don't have air travel demands at the same time!

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

I think over the coming weeks we will learn the damages in Texas have been much more severe than expected. Way more than than any hurricane could do. Fortunately we don't have air travel demands at the same time!

Yep, things will get even worse as they thaw out. Water damage is the worst!

[s211]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

$1.70 gas this summer

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/pain-at-the-pu...uver-1.5312021

Remember when certain governments were clamouring to crank gas taxes up when prices dropped? Some pretty spurious claims back then that prices wouldn't rise and therefore consumers would see no net impact.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by s211

Remember when certain governments were clamouring to crank gas taxes up when prices dropped? Some pretty spurious claims back then that prices wouldn't rise and therefore consumers would see no net impact.

What?

[mcminsen]

Capilano Road and Marine Drive, North Vancouver, Feb.28 '21, my pic

[memememe76]

I wonder what the sweet spot is when it comes to gas prices in BC (or in the Lower Mainland, specifically)? When they dropped last year (it was still above the dollar mark for the most part), there were cries of how badly hit the oil industry was. Now, we are hearing that gas prices will go up dramatically by the summer.

[MIPS]

"Oh, you know. Last year was an abnormal instance followed by a quick selloff to move product we can't store for too long. You know that Ethanol stuff only lasts a few months. Now we've had all that freezing down in Texas and gosh, it looks like we will have to shutdown our facilities to verify we didn't crack any lines. We already had to lower production so we miiiight not have enough reserve process, so I guess that means the price for a barrel might go up, just for a little. It won't be much.

[WarrenC12]

Love driving an EV. Incredibly stable operating cost, and don't have to put up with the BS that is gas pricing (and the reasons behind it).

[Alex Mackinnon]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Love driving an EV. Incredibly stable operating cost, and don't have to put up with the BS that is gas pricing (and the reasons behind it).

Welcome to the club. What did you get?

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Love driving an EV. Incredibly stable operating cost, and don't have to put up with the BS that is gas pricing (and the reasons behind it).

Yeah, all we have to deal with is the BS that is electricity pricing

I'm on my fourth year with my Chevy Bolt, best car I've ever owned. Smooth, silent, and way more power than I need. And so far it's only been back for service once, and that was for a software update.

[Klazu]

While driving an EV will help save on gas, high gas prices will still hike up the price of food and everything, as oil makes the world go round.

In the US they are now saying that the current policies will result in gas prices hitting up to $8/gallon in some states still this year, which is bound to have a significant impact here as well...

[Alex Mackinnon]

Originally Posted by Klazu

In the US they are now saying that the current policies will result in gas prices hitting up to $8/gallon in some states still this year, which is bound to have a significant impact here as well...

That sounds pretty doubtful. That sounds like the same kind of crap that the Trumpublicans are trying to push to generate fear of Biden's policies, and even a modest implementation of renewable energy stimulus.

Basically the sewing FUD, and give Trump a win for doing nothing.

[MalcolmTucker]

How would a policy change cause a swing like that this year? That is just crazy. Now if my refinery has a lot of valves and sensors damaged and I can wait for repairs at a fair price and in the meantime get business interruption insurance money, why would I rush?

[scryer]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

How would a policy change cause a swing like that this year? That is just crazy. Now if my refinery has a lot of valves and sensors damaged and I can wait for repairs at a fair price and in the meantime get business interruption insurance money, why would I rush?

Only one way to find out I guess .

[Klazu]

Damn, never realized that we are already paying $5/gallon here in BC...

[Alex Mackinnon]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Damn, never realized that we are already paying $5/gallon here in BC...

That is indeed what happens when gas tax stays static for several decades, and isn't a percentage.

$0.184 per gallon, 6 US cents per litre. It's been exactly that since 1993.

Now you know why their bridges are crumbling.