There are good PC MHA's on the Hill and they need to Act on Churchill

- got a message from Sarah - who if she's reading this needs to attach her email so I can return her message -

Here's the test of a good project for a natural renewable resource development - unlike what Steve Kent leads you to believe on person-years of employment - it relies on full benefits forever.

You see the proposal here does offer employment - just like its predecessor the Upper Churchill - it has to the infrastructure is massive. That's where the benefits stop and the giveaway begins.

First: financing for the project -oh yeah you and me and escalating power bills.
Who is doing that financing and how much will they make? What will you and I pay for the privilege of shipping out our wealth and Labrador's potential for industrial development?

When developing hydro-electric power - one must consider the environmental impacts of such a development and whether or not that impact can be justified by socio-economic benefits. There must also be consideration for what the power is being developed for and whether or not at the end of that assessment - that Labrador particularly will continue to benefit from not only power sales but permanent jobs from industry plugged into the power. All advanced societies develop hydro developments for that purpose. NOBODY gives away this power potential without first advancing significant industrial developments and a reduction of fossil fuels in the development region and reducing the cost to domestic consumers (you and me). That is the model which we know as Hydro-Quebec. Make no mistake - they are the most progressive and successful energy company in the world. This is measurable amounts due from the Upper Churchill development.

Newfoundland and Labrador has significant energy potentials - natural gas, oil, wind, wave, tidal, peat, and of course hydro-electric both small and large scale projects.

Which ones do we prefer to export? All of them if we have enough hydro-electric power - which we do - unless these PC Cabinet Ministers go ahead with this legacy of shame.

Wind is something like aquaculture - still developing - still with problems...
Wind also needs to be backed up by reliable sources - which makes it great for export - that is we can ship it while it is producing. We cannot rely on it for domestic uses - it is not as reliable as hydro-electric and it is more expensive. There are also real concerns as to where these costs will be going and also that most developments are by the private sector - which is not preferable for energy domestically as it is an essential product. That is why we continue to own Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.

We have failed if we do not accomplish the following:
1. Employment - virtually all by Newfoundlanders and Labradorians with emphasis on Labradorians.

2. Newfoundland and Labrador retain ownership of the resource and project.

3. Hydroelectric power the entire province particularly all of Labrador for domestic purposes.

4. 90% of energy produced from large scale projects such as the Lower Churchill be used to fuel industry in the region where it is produced.

5. Offset environmental effects using every means possible.

6. Achieve federal support for the project as partners - wherein we utilize federal funds for financing - similar to the Hibernia arrangement - with the exception that we do not pay it back - but accept it as partial payment for the lost ground fish resources.

Wind energy to be developed should be exported at market prices as well as other non-renewable potentials. Wave and tidal power potentials should be researched and developed by Nalcor for future growth and export potentials.

I will further explain to PC mha's the following - not difficult - the fuel that drives hydro-electric power is free - it is water - the fuel that drives thermal generation is not free and volatile, oil gas coal. Which one should we use for our domestic and industrial use? The answer is very simple.

Wind although arguably a good source of renewable energy does have problems with reliability, storage, and continued infrastructure costs. One must also remember how many turbines it would take to generate 700- 1000 megs of power needed for an aluminum smelter. In either case you have to back it up with another source.

This is just the beginning of the assessment and we will have to explore fully the role of the proposed partners, the gouging expected by the private sector. The vulnerability to Quebec as the proposed partner, Emera is a publicly traded company and open to takeover - hostile or other.

The examination of what it will mean to the future of our province - particularly Labrador as we continue to export and giveaway our best industrial advantage.

Then for getting nothing, giving it all away, and ruining our potential - we as consumers will see astronomical increases in our light bills. The same thing was anticipated when we proposed to sell Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.

Last but not least - Labrador communities will remain unconnected and reliant on either Hydro-Quebec or thermal generation for domestic power - while Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, maybe Ontario and New England States get their hands on our cheap renewable hydro power - that for some reason they can find industry to use.


Back to the basic equation - Hydro development costs + transmission + loss of energy through transmission + maintenance + marketing + administration + profit = affordable power that Nova Scotia can attract industry with.

While Hydro development costs + minimum transmission + virtually no loss of energy through transmission = more than affordable power - deliverable in Labrador to industry that our incompetent politicians cannot attract.

Without a doubt - this is a giveaway - the same as the Upper Churchill except this one will be more expensive for us. This would be a legacy of shame that these PC MHA's would have to live with as their grandchildren ask the whys.

Liberal MHA's eventually took Clyde Wells on and advised the Premier that the sale of Hydro was not acceptable. Now these PC's must look within and do the right thing - before they leave public life.

Without a doubt this is not a good deal and there will be no excuses for those who would allow this to happen this time.