BC Creek Protection Society

Power project is not meeting its commitment to go green and to protect species at risk – Larry Pynn, Vancouver Sun, April 28, 2008 — An independent power project on Miller Creek near Pemberton is failing to meet its commitments to produce “green power” and to protect species at risk, according to an environmental consulting report. (more…)

By Craig Orr and Peter Broomhall Barely a month after promising to prevent hydro entrepreneurs from constructing a power line through Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, the provincial government appears determined as ever to privatize “new” hydro development throughout British Columbia. No one who remembers a certain event of June 2006 will be surprised. (more…)

By Stephen Hui There are more than 8,000 sites in the province with the potential to be developed as run-of-river power projects , a study commissioned by B.C. Hydro and the B.C. Transmission Corporation has found. (more…)

By Stephen Hui, Aril 17, Georgia Straight — Terry Sonderhoff insists that run-of-river power projects like the one he hopes to build near Squamish are far from the ecological and energy-policy disasters that critics say they are. The private power developer maintains not only that his Fries Creek project would have a minimal environmental impact but also that such enterprises represent the best way to provide British Columbians with cheap, clean electricity for years to come. (more…)

China Creek run-of-river hydro project. First Nations, municipalities explore controversial energy source. TheTyee.ca, By Colleen Kimmett, Published: April 11, 2008 Environment Minister Barry Penner decided not to go against a very vocal majority when he nixed a plan to run a power line through Pinecone Burke Provincial Park last month. (more…)

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Mar 31, 2008 (Marketwire via COMTEX) - - Plutonic Power Corporation (TSX:PCC) is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed Stages 1 and 2 towards securing a Water License from the Water Stewardship Division (Ministry of the Environment) and Crown Land rights from the Integrated Land Management Bureau (Ministry of Agriculture and Lands) for the development of eleven run-of-river non-storage hydroelectric power projects strategically located within the boundaries of Plutonic Power’s “Green Power Corridor”. (more…)

By Stephen Hui, Georgia Straight, March 30 2008 The Kwikwetlem First Nation was prepared to go to court in order to stop a company from building a massive waterpower project in the upper Pitt River valley.   (more…)

Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun Published: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 The British Columbia government has rejected a controversial proposal by an independent electricity project developer to run a power line through Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, Environment Minister Barry Penner said today. (more…)

The Upper Pitt River, 40 kilometers from Vancouver, tops this year’s list of the most endangered rivers in British Columbia. (more…)

Private River Power Draws Diverse Foes ‘Green’ claims disputed. By Colleen Kimmett Published: February 19, 2008 TheTyee.ca Tom Rankin, president of Save Our Rivers Society, used to have to pester people to get his message out. Now he has plenty of citizens eager to listen. (more…)

Watch the documentary produced by Save Our Rivers Society: Power Play The documentary gives an excellent overview of the political and some of the environmental implications of the private energy development underway in British Columbia.

Thursday, November 22, 2007
This resolution was passed at the British Columbia New Democratic Party Convention on Nov. 17: (more…)

Larry Pynn, Vancouver Sun Published: Thursday, January 03, 2008 VANCOUVER - A private company is asking the Ministry of Environment to remove part of Pinecone Burke Provincial Park to allow a transmission line to connect with its proposed run-of-the-river power project in the upper Pitt River Valley. (more…)

An educational forum presented by the New Westminster & District Labour Council Panel Presentation and Discussion Privatization of Public Power in BC (more…)

By Jeannine Mitchell , Nov 29 Georgia Straight Donald McInnes, CEO of Plutonic, has been taken aback by recent criticism of the effects of run-of-river hydroelectricity. (more…)

Who benefits from privatization? By Diana French - Williams Lake Tribune - October 23, 2007 Public or private. That is the question. The issue won’t go away. (more…)

Tyee article: BC’s Hinterlands Are Opened Up for Business external link: http://thetyee.ca/News/2007/10/17/RiverPower/

This is a video that has several interesting interviews, especially with Gwen Barlee from the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, and sobering footage from the development on Ashlu Creek: http://youtube.com/watch?v=p48ra_657M4 (external link to YouTube)

Electric companies (external link to The Georgia Straight) NDP promises fall fight on run-of-river power (external link to The Georgia Straight) (more…)

Full Story:
The politics of power

Just how political are power lines in B.C.? (more…)

Book Cover (PDF download) Order Form (PDF download) From the Book Cover: Secure, reliable, and affordable electricity has been one of British Columbia’s most important competitive advantages and a key contributor to the province’s prosperity. (more…)

Self-Sufficiency and Insurance: Exaggerating the Need for New Sources of Electricity Supply (PDF)

UNION OF B.C. INDIAN CHIEFS
CHIEFS COUNCIL
WESTBANK, B.C.

Resolution no. 2007-31

RE: Private Water Power Licenses

WHEREAS the UBCIC is a political organization for Indigenous peoples in British Columbia founded in 1969, dedicated to promoting and supporting the efforts of Indigenous people to affirm and defend Aboriginal Title and Rights; (more…)

PRESS RELEASE
August 28, 2007

The proposed Glacier/Howser hydroelectric project in the West Kootenay region of BC continues to be quickly rammed through the environmental assessment review process. With only a 38 day public comment period in the peak of summer holiday season over 75 submissions have already been posted on the BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) website. (more…)

Full Press Release (PDF)

For Immediate Release: August 13, 2007

Two new reports help answer questions, raise others, on the sustainability of
run-of-river hydropower

Coquitlam, BC –Watershed Watch today released two reports that expose
weaknesses in how government and industry measure, monitor, and minimize the
impacts of “green” hydropower in British Columbia. (more…)

By RUSS FRANCIS

Aug 08 2007

$100,000 later, hydro project pullback raises questions

Just how green is hydroelectric power? As the B.C. government energetically pushes so-called “green power,” there is a widespread belief that hydroelectricity is as environmentally benign as planting a tree. A little water pushes turbines around. No waste products. No pollution. No impact.
(more…)

Craig WIlliams put his Google Earth data base online at
IPP Watch

Globe and Mail article republished at workopolis.com:
Virtual view of power projects renders a jolting reality check

Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives press release:

BC Hydro customers in for big electricity bill surprise

PDF download

Here is a link to a preview for the documentary that Bryan Smith was working on:

49 Megawatts

It documents the building of the Ashlu power project against local consensus under Bill 30.

Globe and Mail article:

Green power? Don’t let a name fool you

Article in the Vancouver Sun:
Plutonic joins the big players in electricity production

This relates to the planned East Toba and Montrose 200 MW hydro project. It draws the typical image from an economic point of view.

Documenting the First-Descent of Vancouver Islands Memekay River, The Last Drop documentary looks at the role kayaking plays in the conservation of BC rivers. Although the Kayakers in the film are met with a little “adverse” weather, they find the Memekay to be an untouched eco-system with massive old-growth trees and spectacular canyons and scenery.
Presented to raise awareness of Dam issues in British Columbia, the Last Drop looks at the current state of hydro in BC, and contrasts the role of the Provincial Government in the implementation of those hydro projects with the Kayakers and their thoughts on “stewardship of the rivers.” (more…)

Critique of the Proposed Glacier/Howser Hydroelectric Project

The Valhalla Society just distributed these pamphlets at a climate change conference in Nelson:

YES to JUMBO WILD

By Marjorie Griffin Cohen

Big changes are planned for B.C.s electricity transmission system. The
most startling is that the B.C. government is planning to give away the operation
and control of the system to a U.S. body, RTO West. This action will result in
higher rates, greater environmental damage, and the expansion of the system to
meet U.S., rather than B.C. needs.

Read more (link to ashlu.info):
High Tension

By Marjorie Griffin Cohen
This paper is a critique of the BC Energy Plan’s proposals for changing the provision of electricity in BC. The BC government claims that the changes to BC Hydro under the new energy plan are relatively minor. They are nothing of the sort. The changes will radically and irrevocably change the nature of BC Hydro and critically undermine its strength as a public provider of electricity.

Read more (link to ashlu.info):
Gutting a Power House

Read the Official Policy of the Squamish Lillooet Regional District on Independant Power Projects.

SLRD on IPPs

Read Proffessor John Calvert’s article on the Fiscal Legacy of Independant Power Projects (link to ashlu.info):

The Legacy of Private Power

Please read the CBC artical about the opposition to the Glacier Howser projects:
CBC article