From the throne speech today the following quotes: and Sue's Blog response to them.
Throne Speech quote: Newfoundland and Labrador took a giant leap forward in harnessing our power to grow with the announcement on the 18th of November to develop the hydroelectricity potential of Muskrat Falls – Phase One of the Lower Churchill River Project, one of the most attractive clean energy projects in North America.
Sue's Blog response: There is no doubt this government is putting a harness on our power to grow. In fact they are preventing us from growing - period. Instead of saying harnessing our hydro power so we can grow - she says we need to harness our power to grow. In other words putting the reins on our growth. We stay stagnant. And by the way what do you mean the announcement to develop? Is it a done deal? I thought it was a term sheet?
Throne Speech quote: What’s more, Muskrat Falls will mean consumers’ electricity bills will be stable for years to come, and lower than if the Province had chosen the alternative: a future dependent on more thermal generation and exposure to volatile oil prices.
Sue's Blog response: So if we are making no power available for industry in Labrador or Newfoundland what will industry rely on for growth in our province? Volatile oil prices? Why can't we attract energy hungry industry to our province with hydro - if what Dunderdale says is true?
Throne Speech quote: It has the potential to transform Newfoundland and Labrador from a jurisdiction dependent for much of its electricity on nonrenewable oil to a jurisdiction whose electricity system is 98 per cent carbon free. This project is the lowest-cost, long-term option to meet our growing electricity demand.
Sue's Blog response: If there is a growing energy demand - where is it and what is it for? If it was for industry we would not be shipping this superior energy to Nova Scotia and beyond for their industrial growth. Remember now we already ship out over 5000 MW's of hydro power enough to power Newfoundland and Labrador including the addition of several large industrial customers. Please provide breakdown of our current power mix.
Throne Speech quote: If we are to avoid those nasty consequences and keep our province on the path to sustainable growth, we need to shift from costly, nonrenewable oil-generated electricity to renewable clean energy, and we need to do it soon.
Sue's Blog response: We have been able to shift for years and particularly in Labrador - if we are going to attract industry we cannot afford to export power to our competitors in other provinces. The amount of power the Premier speaks of is getting enough to shut down Holyrood - not grow and do nothing in Labrador - once again even though as she says it it the "best" power.
Throne Speech quote: The Gull Island Project has a capacity to generate an additional 2,250 megawatts of hydroelectricity, and together, these two pieces of the Lower Churchill Project will generate bountiful energy to fuel industrial growth in Labrador.
Sue's Blog response: This is perhaps the most insulting thing I have ever seen said toward Labrador and her people. The Premier must know there are already over 5000 MW's of this clean renewable power already flowing out of Labrador and now she wants to do even more - on a "promise" that Labrador can have some next time. How is the giveaway of Muskrat Falls to other provinces and states going to help Labrador promote industry? She is giving away our advantage. This project is for the benefit of other provinces and Emera shareholders.
Throne Speech quote: Indeed, the development of both Gull Island and Muskrat Falls will be a great enabler for future opportunities in Labrador and will greatly improve Labrador’s ability to attract industrial development in the region.
Sue's Blog response: "greatly improve" Labrador's chance to attract industry? The Premier is giving it to other provinces. How does that help Labrador? Answer this: if the Muskrat Falls project is viable including extremely costly links to connect the power to the Island and Nova Scotia - how attractive would the power be if you just plugged in up there - without those costs? Premier - Labrador has already given over 5000 MW's of power away - how much more do they give away before they see industry? This is a joke.
Throne Speech Quote: And by 2041, just three decades from now, Newfoundland and Labrador will be released from the draconian provisions of the infamous Upper Churchill Contract and able to turn that energy to our own advantage.
Sue's Blog response: What? Just three decades from now? Another 30 years after generation and generation suffered - just a few more the Premier says? Her government promised to get redress to the Upper Churchill before the development of the Lower Churchill - did they lie? And now what we have to wait for another 30 years for the Emera deal to expire? They honestly treat our people as fools - for what so some shareholders can make a killing again off our resources?
Throne Speech quote: What’s more, the agreement with Emera provides Newfoundland and Labrador, for the first time in our history, with a link to consumers in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and New England, firmly establishing Newfoundland and Labrador as a clean-energy superpower in northeastern North America. This project is unequivocally in the best interests of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Sue's Blog response: This is the most ludicrous statement in the speech. Somehow driving the "best" power out of our province to the other jurisdictions she mentions is somehow in our best interests? We will become a clean-energy superpower she says. If we were that - we would be attracting industry to use the energy - then we would be a superpower. If the energy is all gone out - what will we get from being a superpower. Quebec is a superpower - they are blocked with industry from the use of hydro power including Labrador's Upper Churchill.
This is just a sample of the inept, visionless, and dangerous thinking of this Premier, the former Premier and the PC's in the House of Assembly. It is almost laughable - the heights to which one will go to get money to shareholders - at the cost of societal advancement. This is the worst proposed deal ever seen on the Lower Churchill and should never see the light of day.
To top it all off - Emera can be purchased by Hydro-Quebec - that will be some thirty year haul.
1 comment:
In an interview Clarke of NTV ,after suggesting that the Throne Speech included so many good things for this province including the "GEM" Muskrat Falls , asked Kelvin Parsons what more he would have liked to have seen ? How dare Parsons think that there should be MORE?
Does anyone else see red when the LG refers to "MY GOVERNMENT" ?
Does this government belong solely to a certain elite section ?
Is all of this pomp and ceremony necessary in a province where the unemployment numbers are highest in the country ,where our fishery is in shambles ,where a healthcare system is not good enough for some , where our education system is failing our young ?
"MY GOVERNMENT".......indeed !
Post a Comment