Chief executive of Norsk Hydro Eivind Reiten made the following quotes found in a story at CNN Money:
Reiten told a press briefing in Olso that his aluminium group is bent on becoming a major international player and will be focusing on major expansion of capacity in years to come.
What I can confirm is that we are having a dialogue with a power company in Iceland regarding opportunities in Iceland,' Reiten said. He said Iceland is still one of the places where energy is freely available for such a smelter.
Iceland is a good place to be.
Hard to know Premier which one to cheer on - Norsk Hydro or Iceland - or both. What I do know is that Labrador power should be available for industry in Labrador - instead of committing it to 3 million Ontario homes!
Give it up boys - there is too much evidence that aluminum is following renewable cost-competitive hydro - where as the politicians in Newfoundland and Labrador are following Danny's experts into the abyss.
Anybody going to give Reiten a call - he's bent on being an international player in aluminum production and is committed to major expansion. Yoo Hoo - is anybody home?
17 comments:
Yes, Sue, pathetic and shortsighted to say the very least. Sort of like selling your car to buy gas.
Catch 22 for Labradorians: fight against having resources taken out of here to other places in the world - only problem is we still lose because 'the Province' just takes it to the Island. No gains for us either way, and it does not matter to us - it's just gone.
According to some PC candidates, if we don't vote for 'Danny', we get to pay the price. If we do vote for 'Danny' we don't know what we're getting in view of past promises that have not been kept. And we do know his Energy Plan. None for us. But you might get your smelter down there using Labrador Power, while our coastal communities in particular have nowhere to go but down, starving and freezing in the dark. Does anyone wonder why there is some bitterness, at times?
Lloyd
Just hang in there - aluminum smelter for Labrador or no project....
I agree with you both, Sue and Lp. Aluminum smelter for Labrador or let the rivers stay the way nature created them. On second thought, I think that is the best solution of all.
One of these days the world's population will be looking to view rivers running in the direction that nature created them and Eco-tourism will be the trend for future tourists.
OUR MOTTO: NO ALUMINIUM SMELTER FOR LABRADOR - NO LOWER CHURCHILL HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT
I don't know about an aluminum smelter but my personal opinion is 'no power for ALL of LABRADOR - no project'. After that, other uses and dispositions can be discussed. We're not greedy, we have no problem sharing, and the resource situation was always ridiculous, I'm not sure what word describes it best, but I know it's way way beyond ridiculous.
Lloyd
Aren't you concerned about the environmental problems with smelters?
We have the power to determine our own destiny, it needs only that we recognize this instead of waiting for some self-serving and opportunistic politic messiah to deliver us to the "promised land". If the people of Labrador permit Danny to ship the hydro from the Lower Churchill out to Ontario, leaving themselves "starving and freezing in the dark", they have only themselves to blame.
The prosperity of Iceland did not commence with the harnessing of their thermal electric power, nor with the proper management of their fisheries; it commenced with a meeting of the people in 1941 at which they proclaimed their intent to free their country from foreign rule and exploitation and become masters in their own land. It took them less than three years to achieve that goal. Are we mortals of lesser stature!!
Bjorn: Yes, I for one have reservations about aluminum smelters and other environmentally damaging/destroying 'developments', especially when we Labradorians have no say, and no return on them. Especially then.
First concern always has to be the Environment. We do further damage at our Peril, my friends.
Mr. Rees: - Pray tell, with your thoughts on 'freeing your country from foreign rule', can you tell me, how we in Labrador would be better under strictly Newfoundland rule, as opposed to the current set-up? The strongest case in point is before us right this minute - the Energy Plan. It is the clearest and most blatant NEWEST example of what is wrong here as far as we (Labradorians) are concerned. Yet, if you check the polls, and by extension, 70-80% support it (remember over 90% of those live on the Island). And do you support this Energy Plan?
Lloyd
bjorn - Would you rather see it go to Ontario? Ontario wants the clean hydroelectric energy to fuel its industries and garner Kyoto points. Also bjorn do you think that Ontario's industries are pristine and they do not leave a carbon foot print? bjorn why do you thing Sweden and Norway have prospered. Do you believe they didn't utilize their resources to create economies in their countries?
I can tell you that Ontario's industries not only pollute the area around where the industry is situated, but since the weather systems run from West to East, Newfoundland and Labrador is in the direct stream of all the pollution that is produced in Ontario. We suffer in three ways in Newfoundland and Labradror when we export our resources out of the province to other places. Firstly we cannot create economies here with our resources since we practically give them away and secondly we are on the receiving end of the pollution that is produced in Ontario from industry derived from resources produced in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. And thirdly in the case of the Lower Churchill Hydroelectric energy, we do not get credit for the Kyoto points in the use of that desirable energy. Instead of this province enjoying vibrant economies from our resources, Ontario and the other province are on the receiving end.
Premier Williams said that there will be no more giveaways and that means we will not ship our coveted and clean hydroelectric energy out of Labrador to Ontario in order for that province to maintain and create more industry and in return Ontario will send back the emissions in the name of pollution to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. That behaviour must stop and we will see to it that it does by adding our voices loud and clear that it is never to happen again.
Industry must be created firstly in Labrador with Labrador's resources and secondly in the island portion and vice versa for Newfoundland's resources.
We need resources to create a manufacturing sector no differently than does Ontario or any other province or region. The only places which produce industries are the ones with energy and the raw materials to create manufacturing or agriculture industries. Every industry needs a constant energy source to run efficiently. The province of Newfoundland and Labrador has both energy and raw materials and we have been too inept to put the two together and create the real market economies that we have been sorely lacking. Let us get our brains percolating and do things right, without first doing that we will remain 'have not' forever.
If the river is developed - what industry is acceptable for Labradorians? My understanding was Labradorians wanted industry - particularly the Voisey's Bay smelter which should have gone to Labrador.
From the information I have gathered over the years - from Labradorians - I understood that you want hydropower for your communities and regions and power for industries.
To Bjorn - where would you like to see the aluminum plant go instead. Do you think the Big Land could handle an aluminum smelter? Or are you playing the environment card to see it shipped to Ontario for a smelter?
Yes, of course, Labradorians want, and deserve, power for Industry, commercial and domestic use. My only point was not necessarily aluminum. Not necessarily not aluminum either, that's all. Needs to be considered
As EVERYONE keeps saying Labrador has lots resource to develop and process (somewhere). Not that you'd say it, to look around us. Some of us think we should be able to keep some, have some say in development and so on. Now, that's enough from me on that. Thanks.
Lloyd
Thanks, I just wanted to make sure Bjorn did not get the wrong idea.
Industry and energy for Labrador or no Lower Churchill...
I am by no means an authority on this subject. The only point I was wanting to make is that I believe the people of Labrador have, collectively, the power to stop any plan to develop the Lower Churchill unless it includes conditions that will make Labrador the primary beneficiary. In March, 1998, a group of natives blocked Luicien Bouchard and Brian Tobin from entering the Churchill Falls area to sign a deal in which they, the native people, had not been consulted. All that is required is organization and a determination to resist being divided and conquered, a ploy that will most certainly be tried by dangling the promise of short time "jobs" in front of the hard pressed.. In my opinion, it is unthinkable that any Newfoundlander or Labradorean would support Danny's "Energy Plan" if the intent is to export the hydro electric power that will be developed at some future point rather than use it to encourage the development of local industry.
In Iceland, there is public concern about the environmental damage from aluminum smelters. None of you discuss this at all.
Are any of you from Labrador other than lp? I don't see any Innu or Inuit people writing here either.I see a bunch of southern people telling others what is best for them because the southern people think they will get the biggest benefit from the resources.
Sometimes one decides to step back a little and look at things from a little more distance to try and get a new, or better perspective on some issues. This being one of them.
Invariably the absurdity of it all just jumps back at you.
Like having to fight to try and keep some electricity and/or other benefits from a resource that is our own. Having to do that is as some older ones might say, ‘Too foolish to talk about.” And if it weren’t so totally outrageous, one might just have to view it that way.
Along with that is the idea we’ve been discussing here: Having made the decision to remove nickel ore from Voisey’s Bay, which is actually shipping out of Anaktalik Bay, to first, Ontario or Manitoba after vowing, ‘Not one spoonful’ but the Newfoundland government, then in the same electoral term (Premiers changed, only) – voila, it takes place. First off, the next Premier says you could drive a truck through the agreement, but after awhile then says it is a good deal. Mmmhmmm.
Then, since the second part of the deal (unproven Hydromet plant in Newfoundland) can’t take place because of energy shortage, the ‘bad deal/good deal’ guy has to build a hydro project in Labrador, (which is to exclude Labrador communities) to take power down to either Argentia or Long Harbour or somewhere to process it.
So then, with that ore dealt away, we are actually discussing an Aluminum smelter. Only problem is, no ore. We’d have to import that.
So now, we send ore to Newfoundland, build a hydro plant, here, to take power down there to process the ore from Labrador. Labrador is left with no power really (well, maybe a promise of some – which is worth exactly diddley squat), with the thought in mind of importing ore from elsewhere so we can have some sort of industry.
Only certain words fit: Flabbergasting. Astounding. Absurd. Stunned.
And yes, Bjorn, you have it right, too.
thank,s
Lloyd
bjorn - I do not know what your interests are, but mine are as benign as only caring about the welfare of Labrador and its people, and seeing that Labrador is served well by its resources. Labrador's resources should benefit Labrador.
I do not want to see another resource shipped from either Labrador or Newfoundland to grow the economies of other parts of Canada, and then have the areas that receive our resources tell us that we are nothing more than welfare recipients and that we are not contributing to Canada, when really we are contributing our life's blood, which are our resources, both human and natural. We have to stop that process. The resources in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador should create industry in the location to which the resource has adjacency.
We all know by now that the way to create an economy in any area is that we use the energy and raw materials of an area, in conjunction with each other, to create industry. One without the other is as useless as teats on a bull. That is what the other areas of the country do and it is no different for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. That is the reason Ontario wants the Lower Churchill Hydroelectric Energy so that it can refine the Iron Ore and Nickel Ore it also receives from this province to fuel it manufacturing industries.
Corporations are already saying that energy is so critical that they will move their operations to anyplace which has the energy to fuel industry. Labrador has 2800 mega watts of coveted Hydroelectric Energy so let us advise the corporate sector that this energy will stay in Labrador and will not move to Ontario or wherever to maintain and create more industry in their vibrant economies. The time has come that we in Newfoundland and Labrador become adults and say enough of this exporting of resources; we are going to grow industries here in Labrador with that 2800 mega watts of power.
Once again I have to say, can you tell me as a Labradorian, why I should be against sending power to Ontario, or anywhere else in this this country, as opposed to being is support of sending it to Newfoundland - and having none for my communities. Tell me, what difference does it make to me, here on the ground in Labrador?
If you truly want to do something about it, you would have to send a message at the ballot box. It is the government, not the corporate sector who devised the energy plan that will see it all disappear from here with little or no return. Yes we could, and who knows might, reject the Premiers candidates here, thereby voicing our discontent in no uncertain terms, but again, how does that help us? The political power base is still there and that's whose plan it is. We need help, and we need your help? We know that won't happen because we can see the 70-80 percent support you give him. We know our quandary all too well. It has never been different except some times its worse. This is one of the worst.
Lloyd
Lp - My opinion is that Labrador should vote anything but Conservative or Liberals. I see no difference in the Liberals or the Conservatives when it came to resource development. Both parties have been complicit in the exporting of our resources to other provinces and countries, instead of processing them here in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The pressure needs to be placed on all parties that the Lower Churchill Hydroelectric Energy Project should be developed for no other region, other than to fuel industry in Labrador.
Post a Comment