Tim May <tcmay@got.net> wrote
Lost on your typically smug Canadian analysis has been any objective analysis of markets for power. Do you know, for example, that California as a state is a _net exporter_ of power to the Northwest and especially to Western Canada at certain times of the year? In the fall and winter, in fact, when hydroelectric generation rates in BC and Washington are reduced.
I don't know where you get your information but I doubt your statements. California is a net exporter of power is suspect, lets see the details here. BC never imports power! You must travel around this place and then you will understand, every major water way is blocked and producing power. Couple this with the low population and you have low demand. The Bonneville Power Authority (BPA) is required to return downstream benefits to BC but this has nothing to do with our requirements. It is payment for the water management services supplied to their power generation system. Any power returned to BC is probably promptly exported. On this angle you are wrong, BC is a net power exporter in both electrical and natural gas realms.
In your kind of lingo, "British Columbia failed to build enough new plants."
BC has not built new power plants in a long time. There is so much supply here that it was official policy to discourage any co- generation or alternative electrical supply development.
Markets are not simple. Prices rise, prices fall. To claim that California is now the primary cause of your higher heating costs, boo-hoo, is childishly naive.
Yes markets are not simple which is probably the reason you fail to see the California component in the current situation. The energy market doesn't lend itself to Economics 101.
If a power generating utility had built new power plants and commited to a fuel supply (and the accompanying infrastructure) the likelihood of unexpected prices increases would be much lower.
See above. Childishly naive.
Sorry, this is where you are showing your Childishly naive understanding of the energy business. In the energy business (natural gas wise) if you commit to the supply and build infrastructure you get lower prices. I re-state my initial premise, Californians have a lot to learm about energy economics! If you don't commit, you pay more! Raymond D. Mereniuk Raymond@fbn.bc.ca History of a Telco, A Fairy Tale http://www.fbn.bc.ca/telcohis.html