Island News & Views
General · 22nd January 2009
Deb Cowper
This is one of those troublesome subjects that can both polarize and paralyze folk. Clean energy, green energy, wilderness destruction: too much information...too little understandable information.... opinions, persuasions, meetings, deadlines, no time...arghhhh!!!
I have to admit that I am often floundering somewhere just above paralysis on this.... but I have to pull myself of it, because this is a hugely important issue. The proposed Bute development is on our back doorstep, and it is vital that we know what is going on... but also at stake are the wider issues surrounding the frightening numbers of other such developments planned for BC. Time for our input is running out.
To help clarify some of the information and issues in my mind I have pulled together a few definitions for myself from different sources (some of which are listed in the article or attached below). Feel free to research your own... it is a process worth doing....also, please do add your thoughts to mine by utilizing the 'Comment' feature of the 'boot).
IPP - Independent Power Plant ...basically 'small' (depends on your understanding of scale I guess) hydroelectric generation setups - often called “run-of-river” projects.
Run of River In essence, water is not stored as such (as happens at dams like John Hart), rather it is diverted out of a stream or river, into a penstock, through a generation turbine installed in a powerhouse, and then returned to the stream/river. Kind of like the principles behind the great little microhydro systems being used on properties here on Quadra -- but on a scale that means dam structures, roads, tunnels, pipelines, massive transmission lines and associated swathes of "right -of ways" cleared through the forest.
Green Power Corridor (GPC) This area covers much of south western BC and includes drainages flowing into Toba, Bute and Knight Inlets. Some crazy number (I saw 600 or so mentioned) run-of-river/IPP projects are proposed for this GRC area. What will be the true 'cumulative effects' (to use government environmental impact assessment jargon) of this lot, I wonder?
Plutonic Power - the company proposing the IPP project for Bute Inlet (www.plutonic.ca). They claim that their run-of river projects are "environmentally benign" (make of that what you will...). They currently are completing the huge 'small' 196 Mega-watt East Toba and Montrose project, which is set to begin operation in 2010. See the Watershed Sentinal article (link below) for more info on this lot.
Bute Inlet IPP proposal - It is my understanding that this massive 'small' project would involve building 17 separate dams, each with separate generating facilities, 440km of power lines, over 250 km of roads, and over 100 bridges. Ahem, are you still thinking that Plutonic's plans are "environmentally benign"?
Bill 30- passed in 2006 by the BC government to remove the right of local governments
to plan and zone for private power projects. Mmm, powerful, planful big $$$ at play, I fear...
Some resources I have looked at so far:
Terms of Reference for Bute
The purpose of the draft Terms of Reference document (see http://tinyurl.com/6tamw5 for the original, should you wish to plow through it) is to identify for the proponent, Plutonic Hydro Inc., the nature, scope and extent of the information that must be addressed in the preparation of the Application /Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its proposed Bute Inlet Hydroelectric project. All pretty standard stuff for an EIS as far as I could see on a quick look...
The Watershed Sentinel (Jan-Feb 2007)...see http://www.watershedsentinel.ca/documents/FeaturedArts/River%20of%20Riches.htm for an interesting backgrounder on this issue.
WaterPower magazine http://www.waterpowermagazine.com/story.asp?storyCode=2050154
For related articles on the 'boot check out Jim Abram's info on the upcoming public meetings (and the urgent need for you to have your say). Also, see Judy Leicester's 'Plutonic Hydro Ru(i)n-of-Rivers' article from September 2008.
Also, in last week's DI (and hopefully soon to be uploaded to the 'boot) is Ray Grigg's report on the messages of Sierra Quadra's recent speaker, Arthur Caldicott.
OK, so I haven't touched upon many of the issues (such as wildlife, fish, $$, corporate power etc.), but that's enough from me for now. Hopefully some of this will help you figure it all out, but for me it's enough to know that I need to do more reading ... and to write a couple of letters/emails .... no paralysis on this one: this time I have to get involved. See you at the meeting in Campbell River on Feb 2nd?
I have to admit that I am often floundering somewhere just above paralysis on this.... but I have to pull myself of it, because this is a hugely important issue. The proposed Bute development is on our back doorstep, and it is vital that we know what is going on... but also at stake are the wider issues surrounding the frightening numbers of other such developments planned for BC. Time for our input is running out.
To help clarify some of the information and issues in my mind I have pulled together a few definitions for myself from different sources (some of which are listed in the article or attached below). Feel free to research your own... it is a process worth doing....also, please do add your thoughts to mine by utilizing the 'Comment' feature of the 'boot).
IPP - Independent Power Plant ...basically 'small' (depends on your understanding of scale I guess) hydroelectric generation setups - often called “run-of-river” projects.
Run of River In essence, water is not stored as such (as happens at dams like John Hart), rather it is diverted out of a stream or river, into a penstock, through a generation turbine installed in a powerhouse, and then returned to the stream/river. Kind of like the principles behind the great little microhydro systems being used on properties here on Quadra -- but on a scale that means dam structures, roads, tunnels, pipelines, massive transmission lines and associated swathes of "right -of ways" cleared through the forest.
Green Power Corridor (GPC) This area covers much of south western BC and includes drainages flowing into Toba, Bute and Knight Inlets. Some crazy number (I saw 600 or so mentioned) run-of-river/IPP projects are proposed for this GRC area. What will be the true 'cumulative effects' (to use government environmental impact assessment jargon) of this lot, I wonder?
Plutonic Power - the company proposing the IPP project for Bute Inlet (www.plutonic.ca). They claim that their run-of river projects are "environmentally benign" (make of that what you will...). They currently are completing the huge 'small' 196 Mega-watt East Toba and Montrose project, which is set to begin operation in 2010. See the Watershed Sentinal article (link below) for more info on this lot.
Bute Inlet IPP proposal - It is my understanding that this massive 'small' project would involve building 17 separate dams, each with separate generating facilities, 440km of power lines, over 250 km of roads, and over 100 bridges. Ahem, are you still thinking that Plutonic's plans are "environmentally benign"?
Bill 30- passed in 2006 by the BC government to remove the right of local governments
to plan and zone for private power projects. Mmm, powerful, planful big $$$ at play, I fear...
Some resources I have looked at so far:
Terms of Reference for Bute
The purpose of the draft Terms of Reference document (see http://tinyurl.com/6tamw5 for the original, should you wish to plow through it) is to identify for the proponent, Plutonic Hydro Inc., the nature, scope and extent of the information that must be addressed in the preparation of the Application /Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its proposed Bute Inlet Hydroelectric project. All pretty standard stuff for an EIS as far as I could see on a quick look...
The Watershed Sentinel (Jan-Feb 2007)...see http://www.watershedsentinel.ca/documents/FeaturedArts/River%20of%20Riches.htm for an interesting backgrounder on this issue.
WaterPower magazine http://www.waterpowermagazine.com/story.asp?storyCode=2050154
For related articles on the 'boot check out Jim Abram's info on the upcoming public meetings (and the urgent need for you to have your say). Also, see Judy Leicester's 'Plutonic Hydro Ru(i)n-of-Rivers' article from September 2008.
Also, in last week's DI (and hopefully soon to be uploaded to the 'boot) is Ray Grigg's report on the messages of Sierra Quadra's recent speaker, Arthur Caldicott.
OK, so I haven't touched upon many of the issues (such as wildlife, fish, $$, corporate power etc.), but that's enough from me for now. Hopefully some of this will help you figure it all out, but for me it's enough to know that I need to do more reading ... and to write a couple of letters/emails .... no paralysis on this one: this time I have to get involved. See you at the meeting in Campbell River on Feb 2nd?
run of river at Bute
Comment by susan on 24th January 2009
Thanks so much for putting all of this information together Deb. More locals need to know what is proposed for our area and the plutonic project is anything but green. There will be information and most importantly maps at the Sierra Film Fest. on Jan. 31 at the community centre for those interested.
Thanks so much for putting all of this information together Deb. More locals need to know what is proposed for our area and the plutonic project is anything but green. There will be information and most importantly maps at the Sierra Film Fest. on Jan. 31 at the community centre for those interested.