The Editor,
Shutting down Burrard Thermal is a very stupid decision by the BC Liberals. The plant is strategically located at the province's load centre and can provide 900 MW of firm power for emergencies and peaking.
It is the only large, gas-fired power plant in the province. If B.C. experienced a California-style drought, Hydro would be in trouble, as it relies on water for 90% of its generation.
The government's response?
Build another dam (for $10 billion) and shut down Burrard!
Hydro pays over $50 million a year to keep a private 275 MW gas-fired power plant in Campbell River on stand-by. Hydro is saving less than $20 million a year by shutting down Burrard.
For less than $100 million, the plant could be upgraded to be a reliable stand-by for years to come. What a colossal waste of money to shut down a plant that is fully paid for.
Hydro ratepayers should be up in arms. The Liberals circumvented the BCUC in making this decision, so there would be no public examination of the financial impact on BC Hydro and ratepayers in the years to come.
Martin Cavin
Port Moody
