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GSX Pipeline, VIGP, & Energy in British Columbia: Year 2005 News, January to December A Natural Gas OPEC? The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) is an informally structured group of some of the world's leading gas producers aimed at representing and promoting their mutual interests. Collectively the GECF controls 73% of the world's gas reserves and 41% of production. This collective strength has lead to concerns by gas importers that the GECF has the potential to evolve into a gas version of OPEC. Peak Energy Blogspot, 01-Apr-2005 Alexander's Gas and Oil Report, 39 pages, 2235 Euro ... more 29 Dec 2005 Cancelled: Surrey & Vancouver Island VITR&VIC Town Hall Meetings Too few people registered by Dec 15, so two meetings cancelled. Tsawwassen meeting moved to Sat, Jan 14. Hearing date moved to Mon, Feb 6. A-45 BCUC letter re BCTC VITR & Sea Breeze-VIC.pdf ... more 16 Dec 2005 Clean-Energy Frenzy in Washington State As the Northwest struggles with soaring fuel and electricity prices, corporate executives and entrepreneurs are joining politicians and activists to develop cleaner, smarter, and self-reliant energy sources. George Howland Jr. , Seattle Weekly, 14-Dec-2005 ... more 15 Dec 2005 Dec 15 - Last day to register for VITR & VIC Town Hall Meetings December 15 is last day to register for the Town Hall Meetings conducted by BCUC in the hearing of BCTC-VITR and Sea Breeze-VIC transmission system proposals. Presenters must pre-register with Mr. Gordon Fulton, Commission Counsel by email at gfulton@boughton.ca or by telephone at (604) 687-6789. ... more 15 Dec 2005 Victoria, Hydro drag heels on alternative energy The provincial government's abrupt decision a week ago to send BC Hydro back to the drawing board on its 20-year Integrated Electricity Plan (IEP) is one more indication that this province is suffering from a severe case of constipation when it comes to future electric power needs. Don Whiteley, Vancouver Sun, 14-Dec-2005 ... more 14 Dec 2005 Government yanks BC Hydro's chain The B.C. Liberals have intervened directly in the management of BC Hydro, forcing the giant utility to pull the plug on a major announcement about the development of electrical power. Political squeamishness sinks Hydro's plans to talk about electricity Vaughn Palmer, Vancouver Sun, 08-Dec-2005 Government concern about Site C dam stalls power plan Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 08-Dec-2005 Hydro's a political animal once again Paul Willcocks, Times Colonist, 09-Dec-2005 Cabinet says it needs time to review Hydro energy plan Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 09-Dec-2005 We need bright lights to develop hydro projects Editorial, Vancouver Sun, 10-Dec-2005 Victoria finally notices Hydro's bumbling Brian Lewis, The Province, 11-Dec-2005 Hydro needed to have its plug pulled Les Leyne, Times Colonist, 13-Dec-2005 ... more 13 Dec 2005 United Nations Climate Change Conference Montreal, November 28-December 9, 2005 Well, it is all over, and the story is: SUCCESS! That's the view of Guy Dauncey of the BC Sustainable Energy Association. What's the deal? 1. Agreement to start on a new long-range plan to combat climate change, to start in 2012 when Kyoto expires. 2. The larger group of world nations, including the USA, China and India, which signed the 1992 Convention but which have not ratified Kyoto, will hold an open-ended dialogue to discuss ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Guy Dauncey, BCSEA ... more 10 Dec 2005 UN talks set road map for Kyoto beyond 2012 Environment ministers agreed on Saturday to a road map to extend the Kyoto Protocol climate pact beyond 2012, breaking two weeks of deadlock at UN talks aimed at curbing global warming. Ministers also agreed to launch new, open-ended world talks on ways to fight climate change that will include Kyoto outsiders such as the United States and developing nations. David Fogarty and Mary Milliken, Reuters 10-Dec-2005 ... more 10 Dec 2005 Conference reaches climate deal PETER GORRIE TORONTO STAR Dec. 10, 2005. 08:25 AM MONTREAL -- Weary delegates, politicians and lobby group members cheered early this morning as the United Nations climate change conference finally passed its last two major decisions after two days and nights of gruelling talks. The main negotiating logjam broke around midnight, when the United States agreed to a watered-down declaration that all 189 countries at the conference will start an open-ended “dialogue” aimed at finding new ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Peter Gorrie, Toronto Star, 10-Dec-2005 ... more 10 Dec 2005 Clinton steals show at U.N. climate talks Former U.S. President Bill Clinton told U.N. climate talks in Canada on Friday that the Bush administration was "flat wrong" to reject the Kyoto accord and said cutting greenhouse gases was good for business and the planet. Reuters, 10-Dec-2005 ... more 10 Dec 2005 GSXCCC Annual General Meeting GSX Concerned Citizens Coalition 4th Annual General Meeting! DATE: Saturday, 10 December 2005 TIME: 5:00 p.m. to whenever PLACE: Pixie Hall, 3550 Watson Avenue, Cobble Hill (across the road from Cobble Hill Farmer’s Institute Hall) The GSX Concerned Citizens Coalition is holding its fourth AGM, potluck feast and social evening. We want all members and guests to join us, bringing food and drink, and an interest in Vancouver Island’s electricity future. ... more 09 Dec 2005 Sea Breeze Files For First Power Line The National Energy Board reports it has received an application for the construction of a 150-kilovolt, high-voltage, direct-current, international power line connecting Vancouver Island and Washington. The proposal is from a subsidiary of Sea Breeze Power Corp. Nickle's Energy Analects, 08-Dec-2005 NEB news release, 07-Dec-2005 Application submitted to NEB ... more 09 Dec 2005 Higher Global Output Forecast As Peak Oil Debate Continues The debate over global petroleum potential continues to bubble, with Cambridge Energy Research Associates, Inc. asserting yesterday that daily capacity will rise as high as 108 million bbls by 2015 from 87 million today. Several decades from now, CERA said, production will move into an "undulating plateau" rather than plunge drastically. This is in stark contrast to Matthew Simmons assessment in Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and The World Economy Mike Byfield, Nickle's Daily Oil Bulletin, 08-Dec-2005 Matthew Simmons, presentation, 09-Sep-2004 ... more 09 Dec 2005 Government concern about Site C dam stalls power plan BC Hydro's ambitious 20-year plan for a multibillion-dollar makeover of British Columbia's electricity system hit a major snag Thursday when the provincial government ordered Hydro to back off out of concern about the controversial Site C dam project. Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 08-Dec-2005 ... more 08 Dec 2005 Power for the people British Columbia now consumes more electricity than it produces. Blessed for decades with a surplus of electricity, we must now rely on others beyond our borders for a growing portion of our electricity needs. Dan Potts, JIESC, Vancouver Sun, 08-Dec-2005 ... more 08 Dec 2005 BC Hydro issues F2006 Call for Power ... at last BC Hydro has issued its long-awaited F2006 Call for Power. It is looking for 2500 GWh/year from large projects, greater than 10 MW capacity; and 200 GWh/year from a portfolio of small projects ranging from 0.05 MW up to 10 MW capacity. F2006 Call webpage CFT description and info CFT Schedule ... more 08 Dec 2005 A 'Great Pipeline Race' in Canada Soaring energy prices and profits have revived plans for two massive pipelines -- the biggest private construction projects in North America -- to bring natural gas hundreds of miles south from the frozen Arctic Ocean, through vast untouched forests and under wild rivers, to the United States. Doug Struck, Washington Post, 04-Dec-2005 ... more 04 Dec 2005 B.C. will need more electricity Over the past five years, B.C. has gone from being an exporter of electricity to being a net importer. Unless we build one or more new power plants in the near future, the province will face a major shortfall of electricity in the decade ahead. Editorial, Times Colonist, 04-Dec-2005 ... more 04 Dec 2005 BC Hydro reports huge surge in profits BC Hydro recorded net income of $189 million in its second quarter, compared with $11 million for the same period a year ago, a huge profit jump driven by increased customer demand and electricity trading activity, the company said Wednesday.Derrick Penner, Vancouver Sun, 01-Dec-2005 ... more 01 Dec 2005 Oil Free Coast Protesters opposed to offshore drilling display their disapproval Nov. 22 in front of UVicís McPherson library. The event was organized by the Western Canada Wilderness Committee. Just say no to offshore drilling in B.C. Rick Stiebel, Goldstream News Gazette, 30-Nov-2005 Oil Free Coast Alliance to government: heed public opinion Matthew Gauk, Martlet (UVic), 01-Dec-2005 ... more 01 Dec 2005 Coal-fired power generation worth a look by BC Hydro A number of recent developments suggest that B.C. should fully explore coal-fired power generation as the big-ticket item, instead of another hydro-electric dam. Coal-fired power generation worth a look by BC Hydro Don Whiteley, Vancouver Sun, 30-Nov-2005 Too good to be true Arthur Caldicott, GSX Concerned Citizens Coalition, 30-Nov-2005 ... more 30 Nov 2005 Sustainable Fossil Fuels, by Marc Jaccard Unusual suspect in the quest for clean, enduring energy This 3 part series examines a new book by Marc Jaccard, in which he challenges some assumptions about fossil fuels. Eg. the message from most sustainable-energy advocates is that the world is about to run out of fossil fuels. And then there's Mark Jaccard who argues that oil, gas and coal will -- and deserve to -- remain the dominate energy supply at least until the end of this century. Oil, natural gas unlikely to be replaced soon by other power sources Don Cayo, Vancouver Sun, 22-Nov-2005 SFU professor flies in face of Chicken Littles of fossil fuels Don Cayo, Vancouver Sun, 23-Nov-2005 A troubling scenario awaits if we keep on our current energy-use path Don Cayo, Vancouver Sun, 24-Nov-2005 ... more 24 Nov 2005 Who's got the power with our power? There's a revolutionary concept embedded in the B.C. Progress Board report on energy. The 60-page outlook floats the notion that the democratically elected government of B.C. should wrest control of energy policy away from B.C. Hydro. BC Progress Board Releases Discussion Paper on Provincial Energy 9-Nov-2005 Who's got the power with our power? Les Leyne, Times Colonist, 24-Nov-2005 ... more 24 Nov 2005 Huge green power reserves can fuel jobs, economy British Columbia has huge reserves of green power that could stimulate enormous economic development and employment opportunity, with as many as 400,000 new jobs over 25 years, and establish BC as a leader in renewable energy, according to a report released today by the BC Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA). Huge green power reserves can fuel jobs, economy News Release, BC Sustainable Energy Association, 21-Oct-2005 Sustainable Energy Solutions for BC Submission to BC Alternative Energy and Power Technology Task Force, BCSEA, 21-Nov-2005 Alternative energy sources potentially rich in jobs Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 22-Nov-2005 ... more 22 Nov 2005 Prepare for Peak Oil Now It is no exaggeration to say that we live in a world that runs on oil. However, oil is a finite resource. Therefore the peaking and decline of world oil production are inevitable events. Richard Heinberg, AlterNet, 14-Nov-2005 ... more 17 Nov 2005 The Baron talks up China and energy The Rothschilds have been in business for about 220 years, and every century or so investment banking's royals haul out the yellowed charts and realize the empire has a presence in Upper and Lower Canada. But today Canada will take on a more prominent role in the family wealth creation machine. That's because Canada has a lot of what the world covets -- energy and metals. Eric Reguly, Globe and Mail, 17-Nov-2005 ... more 17 Nov 2005 Enviros Need to Get With a Program The Sierra Club, the country's leading grass-roots environmental organization, has spent a year trying to figure out what it thinks about liquefied natural gas, so far without success. Steven Pearlstein, Washington Post, 02-Nov-2005 FERC map of approved and proposed LNG terminals ... more 14 Nov 2005 Peak-power jolt for homeowners urged The provincial government should order B.C. Hydro to increase electricity rates for homeowners during peak hours, and to charge more for above-average electricity consumption, says a report released Wednesday by the B.C. Progress Board. Scott Simpson, CanWest News Service, 10-Nov-2005 ... more 11 Nov 2005 Energy becomes Canada's top export Energy has become Canada's No. 1 export, easily surpassing both machinery and equipment and automotive products, while also boosting total exports to a record high and pumping up the country's trade surplus. Eric Beauchesne, Times Colonist, 11-Nov-2005 ... more 11 Nov 2005 BCUC approves Kinder Morgan takeover of Terasen KMI - Terasen Acquisition Decision BC Utilities Commission, 10-Nov-2005 Terasen sale to Texas firm wins okay Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 11-Nov-2005 ... more 11 Nov 2005 BC SEA sponsors events in November Sustainable Energy Now!, Victoria, Nov 12 & 13 Climate Change: The Biggest Show on Earth, Vancouver, Nov 22 ... more 10 Nov 2005 Powerline route ignores E&N corridor potential A presentation concerning a proposed underground power transmission line produced sparks at the Nov. 1 council meeting in View Royal. Dunc Malcolm, Goldstream News Gazette, 09-Nov-2005 ... more 09 Nov 2005 Federal Court of Appeal Kills Sumas 2 Appeal In a startling end to a long running dispute, the Federal Court of Appeal today dismissed Sumas Energy 2's challenge to the National Energy Board's March 2004 decision. News Release, Sierra Legal Defense Fund, 09-Nov_2005 ... more 09 Nov 2005 Sea Breeze response to BCUC IR#1 concering Vancouver Island Cable The 3 megabyte, 269 page, main document is available at the www.vancouverislandcable.com website: link ... more 08 Nov 2005 Spinning tar into oil As Canada rushes to supply fuel-hungry nations by tapping its oil sands, northern Alberta is transforming from a sleepy backwoods into a bustling cash cow Lynn J. Cook, Houston Chronicle, 06-Nov-2005 ... more 08 Nov 2005 Coal Smoke Adds to Band's Cancer Alarm A Campbell River area mill has been granted permission to continue to burn coal, outraging leaders of nearby First Nations band worried about high cancer rates among their people. Quentin Dodd, TheTyee.ca, 04-Nov-2005 ... more 08 Nov 2005 The Conscience of Canada strikes again Barlow's thesis in Too Close for Comfort is that, driven by the interests of both American and Canadian big business, our government is committed to create a "North American fortress with a common economic, security resource and regulatory and foreign policy framework." This despite antipathy by Canadians toward U.S. President George Bush. Jenefer Curtis, Globe and Mail, 05-Nov-2005 Too Close for Comfort, Council of Canadians ... more 08 Nov 2005 Is Grid West Dead? - RTO spells inefficiency in power The Bonneville Power Administration and a cast including utilities, BC Transmission Corp., independent power generators, and others spent millions of dollars over the past decade haggling over how best to improve the efficiency and reliability of the Northwest's power grid. Tuesday, their effort to create an independent entity to manage a unified grid is all but dead. Compromise on unified power grid is blocked Ted Sickinger, The Oregonian, 02-Nov-2005 RTO spells inefficiency in power Steve Johnson, Seattle Post Intelligencer, 01-Nov-2005 Non-profit agencies keep the lights on James P. Thorgerson, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 20-Oct-2005 Grid West: Home Page Grid West: Current Activities Overview, 29-Aug-2005 ... more 02 Nov 2005 Resource expo eyes northern wealth Aboriginal leaders, resource-industry companies and politicians are gathering this week in Vancouver for a conference that could unlock even more of British Columbia's northern wealth. Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 31-Oct-2005 Resource Expo 05, Native Invest Trade Association ... more 31 Oct 2005 Between Midnight and the Rooster's Crow a film about EnCana in Ecuador Directed by Nadja Drost, this award winning documentary tells the story of EnCana in Ecuador, pollution, police collusion, and the people's fight back. Calgary, Thursday, Nov 3, Uptown Theatre Edmonton, Friday, Nov 4, Garneau Theatre Vancouver, Saturday, Nov 5, Cinematheque ... more 30 Oct 2005 B.C. oil, gas industry to grow 20% in 2006 Alberta will account for the bulk of all Canadian activity with an estimated 20,000 wells -- a "milestone record" -- representing a six-per-cent increase in wells drilled in that province. Saskatchewan will remain flat, at 3,430 wells, while B.C. in third place will see 1,600 wells drilled -- a 20-per-cent increase. Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 29-Oct-2005 ... more 29 Oct 2005 BCUC postpones cable projects consolidation decision The BC Utilities Commission has postponed its decision to consolidate the BCTC - VITR and Sea Breeze - VIC proceedings until after November 10 Pre-Hearing Conference #3. Issues revised schedule Letter and Order G-109-05 ... more 28 Oct 2005 Canada can control oil destiny: Morgan Canadian oil and natural gas companies are big enough and strong enough to fend off advances by potential international suitors, the outgoing chief of Canada's largest energy company says. Dave Ebner, Globe and Mail, 28-Oct-2005 ... more 28 Oct 2005 Exxon, Shell: spare a subsidy sir, we're not rich enough yet A proposal by Ottawa that it could take an equity stake in the Mackenzie Valley pipeline "is still on the table" despite being rejected by the Exxon and Shell, who simultaneously announced record profits for the quarter (Exxon: $100 billion!) Possible Federal stake in pipeline 'still on table' Claudia Cattaneo and Paul Vieira, Financial Post, 28-Oct-2005 Exxon, Shell gush to record profits Steve Quinn, Associated Press, in Globe and Mail, 28-Oct-2005 ... more 28 Oct 2005 Bid process lets funny smell taint Ridley Island deal A bad smell is emanating from the few known facts concerning the likely sale of Ridley Island coal terminal in Prince Rupert. Would you like to know why there's only one bidder on the list, or who else would like to make a bid, and what they might bring to the table? Don Cayo, Vancouver Sun, 28-Oct-2005 ... more 28 Oct 2005 Alberta proposes giving oil priority over environment Alberta is proposing sweeping changes to the way it manages its booming oil sands sector, but critics fear the new plan will run roughshod over the environment. The proposed Mineable Oil Sands Strategy would make mining the top priority in development areas over other concerns such as forestry, rivers and wildlife. "Shelve the plan" says Pembina Institute. John Cotter, Canadian Press, 27-Oct-2005 Alberta Ministry of Energy MOSS pages Pembina Institute statement on MOSS Tell the Alberta Government what you think ... more 27 Oct 2005 Gas will stay up: analyst Relatively high natural gas prices are here to stay for the next few years, according to Bank of Nova Scotia's commodities expert. That isn't good news for Canadian homeowners facing a long cold winter of high heating costs, but it is for Canadian gas producers. Angela Barnes, Globe and Mail, 25-Oct-2005 ... more 25 Oct 2005 BCUC rules out oral hearing on Terasen deal The B.C. Utilities Commission announced Monday that there will be no oral hearing on the proposed $6.9-billion sale of Terasen Inc. to Texas-based Kinder Morgan Inc. Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 25-Oct-2005 Commission's letter to Kinder Morgan, 24-Oct-2005 ... more 25 Oct 2005 SE2 issues simmering with MPs A legal battle over a controversial international power line is surging ahead, triggering renewed public environmental concerns in the Fraser Valley. Sumas Energy 2, a massive gas-fired power plant will have its case heard in Federal Appeal Court in Vancouver, Nov 7-9. Trudy Beyak, Chilliwack Progress, 23-Oct-2005 ... more 25 Oct 2005 Bidder offered a fraction of Ridley's cost Fortune Minerals, the expected winning bidder in the privatization of Ridley Terminals offered $20 million for the Crown corporation in 2003, with only $3 million in cash up front, and the remaining amount to be paid out starting seven years after the deal closes and continuing for the next 33 years in amounts no greater than $500,000 annually. Peter O'Neil, Vancouver Sun, 24-Oct-2005 Earlier articles on the sale of Ridley Island to Fortune Minerals ... more 24 Oct 2005 Canada doesn't have oil, Alberta does Who is the "our" in our oil? I don't know many Albertans, but I know enough of them to know they don't think Ontario, or much of the rest of Canada, is part of that "our." Rondi Adamson, Toronto Star, 23-Oct-2005 ... more 23 Oct 2005 Scrap NAFTA to loosen American grip on our energy sources If there were international oil shortages, many Canadians would suffer. NAFTA would prevent us from redirecting oil headed for the U.S. to destinations in Canada, no matter how great the Canadian need. If this doesn't amount to handing over too much control over our oil to the U.S., what would? Linda McQuaig, Toronto Star, 23-Oct-2005 ... more 23 Oct 2005 Senate Energy Committee Approves ANWR Drilling The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday (Oct 19, 2005) approved legislative language instructing the Secretary of the Interior to create and implement an oil and gas leasing program in the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Green Car Congress, 20-Oct-2005 ... more 23 Oct 2005 No fur flying at the VITR Pre-Hearing Conference The fur didn't fly as expected at the BC Utilities Commission where the main discussion was to be a motion by Sea Breeze to consolidate the hearing of its Vancouver Island Cable project with the hearing of BC Transmission Corp.'s Vancouver Island Transmission Reinforcement project. Chairman Hobbs was reminded about the risk of appeal if he were to make any decision that was not watertight: "I'm not going to suggest that some of my friends in this room are actually wearing their court robes under their suits but I can assure you that they have them close by." Transcript, BCTC - VITR Proceeding, 21-Oct-2004 ... more 22 Oct 2005 Power station due to be in operation by mid-November Construction is entering the final stages at the new power station on China Creek. Project engineers hope to throw the switch on the twin generators in mid-November. Vancouver Sun, 22-Oct-2005 ... more 22 Oct 2005 Gather round the gas flare for a big Alberta boost Each Albertan will be receiving a $400 cheque in January. Called a "resource rebate," it's each taxpayer's share of $1.4-billion carved from the huge provincial surplus. It's really, really dumb policy. Jeffrey Simpson, Globe and Mail, 22-Oct-2005 ... more 22 Oct 2005 Ottawa to review U.S. takeover of Terasen In an unusual move, Ottawa issued a public statement yesterday saying it will review U.S. energy giant Kinder Morgan Inc.'s proposed $6.9-billion takeover of Terasen Inc. to ensure that it will be of "net benefit" to Canada. Peter Kennedy, Globe and Mail, 21-Oct-2005 ... more 21 Oct 2005 Share and share alike Corus Entertainment owns 50 radio stations across Canada, and 10 cable channels. Corus and Shaw Cable - second largest in the country - are controlled by the Shaw family of Calgary. The Asper family of Winnipeg own major newspapers across Canada, the Global Television Network, eight cable channels, and the canada.com Web sites. This family was worth $1.09 billion in 2004. What if they consolidated operations? Donald Gutstein, Georgia Straight, 20-Oct-2005 ... more 20 Oct 2005 China as Canada's No. 1 trade partner? Not likely One of the first things China will do once it becomes a major customer for Canada's oil — as apparently is Prime Minister Paul Martin's policy — is to tell us to get lost when we next suggest that Beijing join the Kyoto Protocol to combat global warming. Richard Gwyn, Toronto Star, 18-Oct-2005 ... more 18 Oct 2005 Fossil fuels are here to stay, says expert Reports of the death of fossil fuels are greatly exaggerated, a prominent Vancouver scholar and public servant has concluded after a research odyssey burned off his preconceptions and academic training about energy. Gordon Jaremko, CanWest News Service, 17-Oct-2005 ... more 17 Oct 2005 Kitimat selected for Enbridge's Gateway Pipeline "The Gateway Project is good news for Kitimat and will provide many opportunities for our community in the future," said Mayor Richard Wozney of the District of Kitimat. "We have worked hard over the last number of months to attract Enbridge as a corporate citizen and look forward to working with them." Kitimat Selected as End-Site Location for Enbridge's Gateway Project Enbridge news release, 14-Oct-2005 $4-billion pipeline to land in Kitimat Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 15-Oct-2005 ... more 15 Oct 2005 The Other Hurricane Has the Age of Chaos Begun? The good parent in me screams: How is it possible that we can now contemplate with scientific seriousness whether our children's children will themselves have children? Let Exxon answer that in one of their sanctimonious ads. Mike Davis, TomDispatch.com, 06-Oct-2005 ... more 15 Oct 2005 Martin dismisses criticism from Klein that oil is Alberta's to sell Prime Minister Paul Martin was on the defensive Wednesday about his government's role in promoting Canada's commodities, a day after Alberta Premier Ralph Klein told Ottawa to keep its hands off of his province's resources. Greg Bonnell, Canadian Press, 13-Oct-2005 ... more 13 Oct 2005 Secret firm backs bid for Ridley Terminals A group of five resource firms, including Teck Cominco, based in B.C. and Alberta say the federal government should re-open bidding to allow them to buy and operate Ridley as a kind of co-operative that is focused on keeping shippers' costs down. Fortune Minerals president, Robin Goad, ridiculed the coalition's position that the terminal should be shipping resources at below-market prices. "It's nonsense. How many businesses operate not-for profit?" Mining officials slam Ridley sale Peter O'Neil, Vancouver Sun, 10-Oct-2005 B.C. coal miners object to terminal plan Peter Kennedy, Globe and Mail, 11-Oct-2005 Fortune responds to Vancouver Sun article Fortune Minerals news release, 11-Oct-2005 Secret firm backs bid for Ridley Terminals Peter O'Neil, Vancouver Sun, 12-Oct-2005 Shippers have 'huge concern' about Ottawa's handling of coal terminal Don Whiteley, Vancouver Sun, 12-Oct-2005 Bidder offered a fraction of Ridley's cost Peter O'Neil, Vancouver Sun, 24-Oct-2005 ... more 12 Oct 2005 Hunger For Natural Gas The era of cheap natural gas, like that of cheap oil, is ending. We have barely begun to assess the drastic, worldwide changes that will ensue. Stan Cox, www.alternet.org, 12-Oct-2005 ... more 12 Oct 2005 Fort St. John leads parade of B.C.'s oil and gas boom B.C. gas investments equal about half of annual spending on Alberta's oilsands, based in a community that likes to call itself "the energetic city" with one-third the population of the Fort McMurray region. The B.C. activity is less visible because it spreads conventional drilling, pipelines and plants across vast northern bush country, but signs of strain are everywhere. As in the oilsands, where royalty and tax deferrals tailored to industry requests feed the development wave, the B.C. gas boom is fuelled by government co-operation. Gordon Jaremko, Times Colonist, 11-Oct-2005 ... more 11 Oct 2005 In Canada's Wilderness, Measuring the Cost of Oil Profits FORT MCMurray, Alberta - Just north of this boomtown of saloons and strip malls, a moonscape is expanding along with the price of oil. Clifford Krauss, New York Times, 09-Oct-2005 ... more 10 Oct 2005 Federal government chronically unable to sustain its own environmental initiatives Commissioner finds federal government chronically unable to sustain its own environmental initiatives 2005, 2005 Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, 29-Sep_2005 Environmental lethargy is one more example of a worn-out government Editorial, Vancouver Sun, 10-Oct-2005 ... more 10 Oct 2005 The Clusterfuck Nation Chronicle: Calgary What's going on in Calgary, with new subdivisions of half-million dollar houses opening every month, is the North American tragedy in microcosm. Because every new suburban house built, every new Target store opened, every new parking lot paved, every highway widened will be a project in the service of a living arrangement with no future. It is a true madness that beats a path to historic tragedy.Jim Kunstler, The Clusterfuck Nation Chronicle, 03-Oct-2005 ... more 08 Oct 2005 Race for Arctic pipeline heats up for Canada, U.S. Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski says he's just days away from striking a royalty deal with Exxon Mobil Corp., British Petroleum and ConocoPhillips Co. that would pave the way for the $20-billion (U.S.) pipeline megaproject. Barrie McKenna, Globe & Mail, 08-Oct-2005 ... more 08 Oct 2005 Municipalities pursue own energy projects By Charlie Smith, The Georgia Straight, 06-Oct-2005 ... more 07 Oct 2005 Running on empty Why everyone should worry about gas prices Charlie Smith, Georgia Straight, 06-Oct-2005 ... more 07 Oct 2005 `Caribou People' wage last stand in the Arctic "Them caribou ain't got much of a future," Gwitchin elder Stephen Frost admits, uneasily. "To be honest, I'm glad to see 'em get out of rifle range," referring to the central catastrophe facing his obscure tribe of Arctic hunters: The once-mighty Porcupine caribou herd is dwindling. And now the U.S. government wants to drill for oil in the caribous' calving grounds in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or ANWR, just across the Alaskan border. Paul Salopek, Chicago Tribune, 07-Oct-2005 ... more 07 Oct 2005 Mackenzie pipeline uneconomic, Imperial CEO says The proposed $7-billion Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline doesn't make economic sense unless Ottawa signs another special fiscal deal for the backers, the chief executive officer of Imperial Oil Ltd. says. Dave Ebner, Globe and Mail, 07-Oct-2005 ... more 07 Oct 2005 Oil tankers in Juan de Fuca Strait: 1977 rules on oil ports stay intact The House Rules Committee yesterday struck down a portion of an energy bill that Washington state lawmakers warned would increase the risk of an oil spill in Puget Sound, in removing proposed changes to the Magnuson Amendment, a 1977 law that caps oil-refinery expansion and the number of oil tankers moving through the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound. Kimberly Wetzel, Seattle Times, 07-Oct-2005 ... more 07 Oct 2005 Hydro to reveal plans for upgrade BC Hydro will reveal plans later this month for British Columbia's biggest electricity system upgrade in a generation. Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 06-Oct-2005 ... more 06 Oct 2005 Natural gas may hit $20 Analysts warned a meeting of chartered financial analysts Wednesday morning that conditions are forming that could see U.S. gas prices skyrocket. Geoffrey Scotton, Calgary Herald, 06-Oct-2005 ... more 06 Oct 2005 Coal burning riles Cape Mudge The Cape Mudge Indian Band worries its members are facing a higher risk of cancer due to coal burning at Elk Falls mill. Grant Warkentin, Campbell River Mirror, 05-Oct-2005 ... more 06 Oct 2005 Crossed wires at the BCUC - VITR and VIC as of October 5, 2005 The BC Utilities Commission now has two competing cable systems to Vancouver Island that it will attempt to review in a common proceeding: BCTC's Vancouver Island Transmission Reinforcement (VITR) Sea Breeze's Vancouver Island Cable (VIC) ... more 05 Oct 2005 SUV sales tank as gas soars Gas guzzlers stay on lots as auto makers report big decline in luxury 4WD category Greg Keenan, Globe and Mail, 04-Oct-2005 ... more 04 Oct 2005 Northern towns await pipeline decision Whether Enbridge picks Prince Rupert or Kitimat, oil line will benefit both Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 04-Oct-2005 ... more 04 Oct 2005 Sea Breeze: Vancouver Island Cable Sea Breeze has filed its application with the BC Utilities Commission for a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) for a 550 MW HVDC Light cable system to Vancouver Island. www.vancouverislandcable.com ... more 03 Oct 2005 A natural gas primer -- and where the money goes Ever since Terasen Gas announced natural gas costs were increasing, we have heard from many of our customers questioning our reasoning. Randy Jespersen, Vancouver Sun, 03-Oct-2005 ... more 03 Oct 2005 Natives want province to halt coal-burning at mill The First Nation on Quadra Island has asked the B.C. government not to approve an application for the Elk Falls pulp and paper mill to burn any more coal until the emissions have been studied. The Canadian Press 01-Oct-2005 ... more 03 Oct 2005 Gas prices beginning to affect consumer behaviour The high price of gas already has consumers feeling a lot less confident and with another surge in energy prices yesterday, economists are watching for signs the price shock is enough to get people to actually change the way they live and spend. Barrie McKenna, Globe and Mail, 29-Sep-2005 ... more 02 Oct 2005 A World Turned Upside Down The corporations are demanding regulation, and the government is refusing to give it to them George Monbiot, The Guardian, 20-Sep-2005 ... more 02 Oct 2005 Why Cheap Gas Is a Bad Habit Higher pump prices would help push Americans away from gas guzzlers. Robert J. Samuelson, Newsweek, 19-Sep-2005 ... more 01 Oct 2005 Harvesting the wind: Nai Kun Nai Kun Wind Development Inc. wants to build the largest wind farm in Canada and the largest offshore wind farm in North America. The Vancouver company is pitching a 700-megawatt project. Glenn Bohn, Vancouver Sun, 26-Jul-05 ... more 29 Sep 2005 If Ralph's a friend, who needs enemies? Ralph Klein has taken time out from his Jean Chrétien retirement course to issue prosperity cheques Andrew Nikiforuk, Globe and Mail, 28-Sep-2005 ... more 29 Sep 2005 Trade pact cost us a bundle Why does a storm in the U.S. drive up Canadian prices? There was no storm in Alberta. No drilling rigs were toppled in Saskatchewan. Yet Canadians are now paying up to $1.44 a litre or over $6 per gallon for gasoline, more than in most places in the U.S. How can this be? Isn't Canada an oil and gas producer, the largest foreign source in fact for the U.S.? by David Orchard ... more 22 Sep 2005 We Can Help New Orleans, But Can We Help Ourselves? Alberta has a positive track record of using its natural resource wealth to help in times of crisis. Hurricane Katrina was no exception. But what would happen if the crisis was at home? The answer is that under NAFTA Canada cannot increase production for Canadian consumption alone.Ricardo Acuña, Edmonton Journal, 20-Sep-2005 ... more 21 Sep 2005 Takeover tidal wave on the way Global strategist bets U.S. securities regulator will ease oil sands reserve rules, freeing U.S. companies to buy existing Alberta sands operators Takeover tidal wave on the way Gary Park, Petroleum News, Aug-2005 Total eyes larger footprint in oil sands Gary Park, Petroleum News, Aug-2005 ... more 21 Sep 2005 Whistleblowers, tread carefully. Was Alyeska Pipeline Service Company’s number two executive fired because of his warnings about the pipeline? A Wall Street Journal article Saturday raised the question, and a long-time critic says that's exactly what happened. Article raises suspicions about Alyeska official being let go Joy Mapaye, ktuu.com, 17-Sep-2005 WSJ article questions Alyeska firing webcenter11.com, 19-Sep-2005 ... more 20 Sep 2005 Methanex Kitimat to provide terminal for EnCana Methanex Corporation has entered into an agreement to provide terminalling services to EnCana at Methanex’s Kitimat, British Columbia site. EnCana advises that it plans to import diluent through this terminal for use in its oilsands projects in Alberta. News Release, Methanex, 20-Sep-2005 ... more 20 Sep 2005 'The new Kuwait' Could W.Va. be sitting on the answer to the energy crisis? The Pentagon is proposing to support producing diesel and other motor fuels by gasifying and then liquefying coal through a catalyzed chemical reaction known as the Fischer-Tropsch process. Joe Morris, West Virginia Gazette-Mail, 18-Sep-2005 Ultra Clean Fuels ... more 18 Sep 2005 Mines ask Victoria to plug into northwest bcMetals Corp. has just received environmental approval from the province to build the Red Chris mine, a copper-gold project 450 kilometres north of Smithers. But the regulatory success will come to nothing unless the province strings a transmission line as far as 335 km into the northwest. Paul Luke, The Province, 18-Sep-2005 ... more 18 Sep 2005 BC Hydro boosts plans to build controversial Site C dam Two senior managers have been assigned to prepare the Peace River project for final approval, a memo shows Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 15-Sep-2005 ... more 16 Sep 2005 Gregoire: Washington needs to ease its oil dependence Washington can become a world leader in biofuels and other non-petroleum energy sources that can ease reliance on foreign oil and help the state's farm economy at the same time, Gov. Christine Gregoire said Thursday. David Ammons, Seattle Times, 15-Sep-2005 ... more 16 Sep 2005 Hot natural gas prices may boost B.C.'s surplus British Columbia has an estimated $1.4-billion budget surplus, but if natural gas prices remain high, and one of B.C.'s most prominent economists is right, the surplus is likely to becomes even bigger. Derrick Penner, Vancouver Sun, 16-Sep-2005 ... more 16 Sep 2005 History is turned on its head as Campbell and native leaders reach out As Opposition leader, Gordon Campbell fought the Nisga'a treaty in court. As premier, he ramrodded a treaty referendum that infuriated native leaders. Now, he's leading B.C. to what looks like reconciliation and unprecedented recognition of native rights and autonomy. Vaughn Palmer, Vancouver Sun, 16-Sep-2005 ... more 16 Sep 2005 VICTORY: GSX & Duke Point are dead - for now Duke Point is dead. After six years, BC Hydro has shelved plans to build a gas-fired power plant at Duke Point near Nanaimo. With it goes the last vestige of a plan that would have seen 900 MW of gas-fired power generation on Vancouver Island and a pipeline across the Strait of Georgia. Tom Hackney, Sierra Report, Fall 2005 ... more 14 Sep 2005 EnCana sells Ecuadorean oil assets to China EnCana closed the book on a six-year stay in Ecuador, selling its contentious South American assets to a state-owned Chinese oil venture for $1.42 billion US. The sale comes only weeks after violent protests against the country's petroleum industry led to speculation that EnCana's year-long search for a buyer would be further drawn out. Paul Haavardsrud, Calgary Herald, 14-Sep-2005 ... more 14 Sep 2005 US Government Slams Kinder Morgan's Safety Procedures Kinder Morgan, the company wanting to take over Terasen, was hit with a corrective action order from the US Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Jeremy J. Nuttall, TheTyee.ca, 13-Sep-2005 ... more 13 Sep 2005 Enbridge pipeline proceeds With a planned in-service date of mid-2008, Enbridge Inc. said Friday it will proceed with construction of the 380-kilometre Waupisoo pipeline from the Alberta oilsands to the Edmonton refinery hub. Vancouver Sun, 10-Sep-2005 ... more 10 Sep 2005 Opposing energy projects has a price At every opportunity there are individuals and groups ready to oppose the expansion of energy resources. I'm not saying that I want a brand-new power project in my neighbourhood either, but our reluctance to further our energy supplies and infrastructure presents a problem. Michael Campbell, Vancouver Sun, 10-Sep-2005 ... more 10 Sep 2005 Terasen asks for natural-gas hike of 13.3% B.C.ers are about to experience the after-effects of Hurricane Katrina on their natural-gas bills. Wendy Mclellan & John Bermingham, The Province, 09Sep2005 ... more 09 Sep 2005 Hydro's net income off 90% in 2006 first quarter BC Hydro's net income fell 90 per cent in the first quarter of fiscal 2006, despite significantly higher trade revenues, the crown corporation reported on Thursday. Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 09Sep2005 ... more 09 Sep 2005 Wasco rides with the wind Wind power is hailed as a clean and green energy source, but it makes money too, and not just for the company. The Klondike project also has created local jobs. Local farmers also collect leasing fees for the land used by the turbines, and the wind farm does not disrupt their traditional farming practices. Eileen M. Garvin, Portland Business Journal, 02-Sep-2005 ... more 09 Sep 2005 Teck Cominco Announces Acquisition of 15% Interest in Fort Hills Oil Sands Project Teck Cominco Limited today announced that it has entered into an agreement with UTS Energy Corporation and Petro-Canada to subscribe for a 15% interest in the Fort Hills Energy Limited Partnership (the “Partnership”), which is developing the Fort Hills oil sands project in Alberta, Canada. Teck Cominco News Release, 06-Sep-2005 Slideshow presentation ... more 08 Sep 2005 Tsawwassen power line foes to fight underground proposal A group of Tsawwassen residents who have been fighting attempts to run a pair of high-voltage power lines to Vancouver Island through their neighbourhood are gearing up for another battle. Maurice Bridge, Vancouver Sun, 07-Sep-2005 TRAHVOL public meeting Wed 07-Sep 7:30 pm South Delta Rec Centre ... more 07 Sep 2005 Feds slap local energy company Kinder Morgan Energy Partners' 3,900-mile-long Pacific Operations system, which supplies six Western states with gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel, has been hit by a rash of accidents in the past two years. Federal pipeline regulators have ordered the company change how it operates its systems in what is being called one of the largest regulatory actions undertaken by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Tom Fowler, Houston Chronicle, Aug. 26, 2005 ... more 29 Aug 2005 Transportation Department Orders Kinder Morgan to Address Rise in Pipeline Incidents The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) today announced it ordered Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (KMEP) to address a recent increase in incidents along its hazardous liquids pipeline system. The agency issued a Corrective Action Order requiring KMEP to comprehensively address integrity threats along the entire 3,900-mile Pacific Operations unit. U.S. Department of Transportation, 25 Aug 2005 Corrective Action Order - Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. ... more 25 Aug 2005 Kinder Morgan open houses in BC Kinder Morgan invites the public to open houses across British Columbia, including Victoria (10-1pm) and Nanaimo (5-8pm), 31 Aug. ... more 25 Aug 2005 Terasen gas plant project still alive A natural gas storage facility north of Ladysmith is still in the works, says Terasen Gas, despite the demise of the Duke Point power project and Terasen's recent takeover by a Texas energy company. Edward Hill, Ladysmith Chronicle, Aug 23 2005 ... more 25 Aug 2005 The wind blows for free, advocate argues They are spinning on the windswept hills of southern Alberta, and on a hill outside Whitehorse, in the Yukon. They are spinning in downtown Toronto and along the shores of the St. Lawrence, in Quebec. But there are no wind turbines spinning in British Columbia - yet. Guy Dauncey, Victoria News, Aug 24 2005 ... more 24 Aug 2005 The EUB’s ‘men without chests’ In one of his most famous essays, the Christian philosopher C.S. Lewis once described bureaucrats who banished all magnanimity and heart from their decisions as “men without chests.” Andrew Nikiforuk, Calgary Herald, August 23, 2005 ... more 23 Aug 2005 Kinder Morgan Marked by Spills Kinder Morgan, the company that hopes to take over the B.C. gas utility Terasen, is “the poster child for pipeline problems,” according to Carl Weimer, executive director of the Bellingham, Washington--based Pipeline Safety Trust. Jeremy J. Nuttall, TheTyee.ca, 23-Aug-2005 ... more 23 Aug 2005 Activists, companies split over Kyoto panel Environment Canada's hope of bringing together industry executives, environmentalists and senior public servants to craft policies might not get off the ground as boycotts are threatened over who gets to run the meetings. Bill Curry, Globe and Mail OTTAWA ... more 22 Aug 2005 The Breaking Point The gap between demand for oil, and supply, once considerable, has steadily narrowed, and today is almost negligible. The consequences of an actual shortfall of supply would be immense. If consumption begins to exceed production by even a small amount, the price of a barrel of oil could soar to triple-digit levels. This, in turn, could bring on a global recession, Peter Maass, New York Times ... more 21 Aug 2005 Cogen up and running 95 per cent of the time The Island Cogen power plant beside the Elk Falls paper mill has had minimal downtime this year. Grant Warkentin, Campbell River Mirror ... more 21 Aug 2005 Offshore oil decision promised by year's end Western Economic Diversification Minister Stephen Owen says Ottawa has set a year-end deadline on the fate of the decades old moratorium on BC offshore oil and gas exploration and development. Rudy Haugeneder, Victoria News, August 19, 2005 ... more 19 Aug 2005 Tom Hackney: Activist of the Year Sierra Club of Canada has named Tom Hackney, the president and founding director of the GSX Concerned Citizens Coalition, as its "Activist of the Year". ... more 17 Aug 2005 How We Got Screwed on Terasen Deal I know nothing about oil and natural gas except what it costs me. But I do know bullshit when it wafts my way, especially if the source is anywhere near where politicians ply their trade, PR people hang out (usually the same place) or when CEOs of large companies tell us about the huge social benefits they are about to confer on our province by reason of their utterly unselfish corporate policy.Rafe Mair, TheTyee.ca, 15-Aug-2005 ... more 15 Aug 2005 U.S.-Canada power cable proposed for Vancouver Island To say that Sea Breeze Power Corp. is just full of wind is simply not correct. While it is true that the B.C.-registered, Vancouver-headquartered power provider is heavily into Vancouver Island wind farms, it is also developing a Pacific regional transmission system with plans for a $300-million, 990-megawatt, 19-kilometre undersea hydroelectric cable across the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Victoria and Port Angeles, Wash. King Lee, Business Examiner ... more 15 Aug 2005 Soaring oil prices set to shake up our business world Goldman Sachs is forecasting that oil prices will spike as high as US$105 a barrel by 2010. The chief economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is predicting that China's thirst for petroleum, combined with supply pressures, will keep oil prices volatile for the next 25 years, including spikes up to $US100. And if supply and political pressures don't hike the cost of oil, carbon taxes will. Europe has already started to charge $64 per tonne of CO2 emitted until 2007. Peter Ladner, Business in Vancouver ... more 13 Aug 2005 Energy strategy a bright idea The Council of the Federation has seized an issue - a national energy strategy, essentially - that has the potential to make Canada a slightly smaller, less regionalized country. It might also help make it more prosperous. Murray Campbell, Globe and Mail ... more 13 Aug 2005 Give nuclear power a chance The petty visions of environmentalists and energy companies threaten to wrest B.C. from its potential as an energy supplier to the entire Northwest. Give nuclear power a chance Editorial, Esquimalt News, Aug 10 2005 BC Sustainable Energy Association replies Guy Dauncey, BCSEA, 15 Aug 2005 ... more 13 Aug 2005 Nfld. may go solo on huge hydro project Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams says his province is considering going ahead on its own to develop a massive hydroelectric project in Labrador. Dene Moore, Globe and Mail ... more 09 Aug 2005 Gwich'in say they'll meet Imperial in pipeline talks The Gwich'in Tribal Council in the Northwest Territories is complaining about its negotiations with Imperial Oil Ltd. regarding a land-access deal for a portion of the proposed Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline. Dave Ebner, Globe and Mail ... more 09 Aug 2005 Terasen boosts pipeline capacity Terasen Inc. has started work aimed at doubling the capacity of a pipeline in Alberta, getting a quick start on fulfilling oil sands growth ambitions that prompted the $6.9-billion takeover on Aug. 1 of the company by Houston-based Kinder Morgan Inc. Terasen boosts pipeline capacity Gordon Jaremko, Vancouver Sun, 09-Aug-2005 Terasen's plan to push pipeline expansion fits suitor's strategy Dave Ebner, Globe and Mail, 09-Aug-2005 ... more 09 Aug 2005 Minister responds on Terasen Michael Smyth's column Liberal loophole allows sale of Terasen provokes Richard Neufeld to defend the government action, which "put Terasen Inc. on equal footing with other regulated utilities." and resulted in "a reduction in unnecessary regulatory requirements and revitalization of B.C.'s economy by encouraging job creation." Yep. And made it immediately a far more attractive takeover target. ... more 09 Aug 2005 Higher natural gas prices boost B.C. treasury's fortunes British Columbia's treasury could be in for a $600-million windfall this year as hot weather in the United States drives natural gas prices far higher than originally forecast by the B.C. Finance Ministry. Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, August 05, 2005 Based on a Vancouver Sun analysis of the difference between current North American contract prices for natural gas, and the ministry's own, conservative ... more 06 Aug 2005 Kinder Morgan takeover of Terasen - Media medley 2 After the news coverage of the Kinder Morgan takeover of Terasen, media comment follows. Kent Spencer's column from the Province contains the most interesting information, noting the strong relationship between Richard Kinder and George Bush ... Proposed U.S. takeover good for Terasen, shareholders Don Cayo, Vancouver Sun, 03-Aug-2005 Oilpatch abuzz with takeover talk Paul Haavardsrud, Times Colonist (Victoria), 03-Aug-2005 Kinder Morgan bid for utility applauded Scott Simpson, Times Colonist (Victoria), 03-Aug-2005 No changes expected after Terasen takeover Gordon Hoekstra, Prince George Citizen, 03-Aug-2005 Kinder Morgan offer will bolster Terasen Jon Harding, National Post, 03-Aug-2005 Takeover pushes Terasen shares to 15 per cent gain Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 03-Aug-2005 Terasen sale has downside Kent Spencer, The Province, 03-Aug-2005 Natural resources shouldn't be sold off to foreigners Richard Floyd, Vancouver Sun, 03-Aug-2005 Takeover pushes Terasen shares to 15 per cent gain Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 03-Aug-2005 Liberal loophole allowed sale of Terasen Michael Smyth, The Province, 04-Aug-2005 ... more 03 Aug 2005 Kinder Morgan to acquire Terasen - Media medley In a US$5.6 billion (Cdn$6.9 bn) offer consisting of about US$3 bn to purchase all outstanding shares of Terasen, and US$2.5 bn assumption of Terasen debt, the consolidated Kinder Morgan will move into the pipeline major leagues. The deal, which has been approved unanimously by both boards of directors, is all about oil from Alberta's oil sands. The deal changes the dynamics of oil pipeline proposals for both Enbridge and TCPL. Kinder Morgan - Terasen joint press release U.S. firm offers $3-billion for Canada's Terasen Catherine McLean, Globe and Mail, 01 Aug 2005 Houston-based Kinder Morgan to buy Terasen Inc., formerly B.C. Gas, for $6.9B John Valorzi, Canadian Press, 01 Aug 2005> Energy Pipeline Operator to Buy Canadian Rival Reuters, New York Times, 02 Aug 2005 U.S. company to buy B.C.'s Terasen Gas for $6.9 billion Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 02 Aug 2005 $6.9B on table for Terasen Peter Brieger and Paul Vieira, National Post, 02 Aug 2005 U.S. giant bids for Terasen Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 02 Aug 2005 Texas energy firm gobbles up Terasen Gas in $7-billion deal Kent Spencer, The Province, 02 Aug 2005 ... more 01 Aug 2005 GSXCCC responds to DPP complaint to BCUC GSXCCC, et al adopt the position taken by the Joint Industry Electricity Steering Committee: "The EPA has been terminated and that should be the end of the matter. Any outstanding issues between DPP and BC Hydro should be sorted out by those two parties ...." Download GSXCCC letter as PDF ... more 28 Jul 2005 Wind power still viable: Sea Breeze The demise of one wind power proposal for Vancouver Island doesn't mean wind power is dead as an energy option for the Island, says Sea-Breeze Energy's Paul Manson. Robert Barron, Daily News Nanaimo ... more 28 Jul 2005 Islanders Aim to Scuttle BCTC Overhead Line Plan It is now time for BC Hydro and BCTC to reassess all solutions including green power generating options on Vancouver Island, power resources from independent producers and power reduction strategies before they lose all credibility, according to the Islands Residents Against High Voltage Overhead Lines. Jackie Truscott, Gulf Islands Driftwood ... more 27 Jul 2005 Harvesting the wind Nai Kun Wind Development Inc. wants to build the largest wind farm in Canada and the largest offshore wind farm in North America. The Vancouver company is pitching a 700-megawatt project, which would generate enough electricity to power about 240,000 homes. A total of 350 wind turbines would be anchored on the seabed, in depths of 20 metres, about eight kilometres or more offshore. Glenn Bohn, Vancouver Sun ... more 27 Jul 2005 Wind blows out of Holberg wind energy project The energy purchase agreement between B.C. Hydro and Holberg Wind Energy has been cast into the wind because the wind supply was not reliable. North Island wind farm project axed Andrew Duffy, Times Colonist, 26 Jul 2005 Harvesting the wind Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, 26 Jul 2005 Green power idea has blown away Les Leyne, Times Colonist, 27 Jul 2005 Vaughn Palmer on CKNW, 28 Jul 2005 ... more 26 Jul 2005 We need a few more Ingmar Lees My friend Ingmar Lee left the hemisphere [just the hemisphere, not the planet] on Wednesday, and no doubt a few hundred people in corporations, government agencies, environmental groups and everything in between are breathing sighs of relief. Dave Obee, Times-Colonist ... more 24 Jul 2005 Tidal power - The wave of the future Three small B.C. companies are turning the tide on the world's future energy supply. The trio has plunged into the endless moondance of tidal currents that number among B.C.'s most abundant and -- until now -- overlooked natural resources. Paul Luke, The Province ... more 24 Jul 2005 Chevron, Oil, and China “It took us 125 years to use the first trillion barrels of oil,” notes Chevron Corporation’s two full-page ad that began appearing in July in the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, Financial Times and elsewhere. “We’ll use the next trillion in 30,” the ad continues, thus quietly admitting to the Peak Oil that the industry has not previously disclosed. Shepherd Bliss, Energy Bulletin ... more 23 Jul 2005 Dissident native group blocks access to coal property A dissident group of Tahltan First Nation members has thrown Fortune Minerals Ltd. a curve by blocking access to the company's Mount Klappan coal property in northwest B.C. Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun ... more 23 Jul 2005 Leaky Terasen pipe repaired after 100,000 litres of crude oil seeps into Sumas marsh After seeping more than 100,000 litres of crude oil into a Sumas Mountain marsh, a damaged Terasen pipeline leading to its Abbotsford oil storage was repaired Thursday. Vancouver Sun ... more 23 Jul 2005 JIESC responds to DPP complaint to BCUC The Joint Industry Electricity Steering Committee (JIESC) is responding to a letter dated 12 July 2005 from Duke Point Power (DPP) to the Commission. "DPP’s request does not reflect the desires or interests of BC Hydro’s customers, but reflects only the interests of DPP whose interests have not been disclosed to the Commission in this request. The JIESC and BC Hydro’s other customers are quite capable in speaking for themselves and do not need DPP assistance." Download letter as PDF DPP's letters to BCUC and BC Hydro ... more 21 Jul 2005 Power-rich B.C. still has energy problems As more and more people crank up the air conditioners this summer, B.C. moves closer to having to import power - again - to get through the year. Blessed with an embarrassment of energy riches, British Columbia still manages to have power problems. Tom Fletcher, Penticton Western News ... more 21 Jul 2005 Power producers wonder who's in charge at BC Hydro BC Hydro's next call for power, in which it invites private-sector independent power producers to submit bids to sell electric power into the Hydro grid, is scheduled for the fall. But in the wake of Hydro's recent decision to abandon the $285-million Duke Point power project on Vancouver Island, who in their right mind would want to participate in such a high-risk game? Don Whiteley, Vancouver Sun ... more 20 Jul 2005 Questions about Power in BC I can't say - nor should you unless you're naughty - that there's any connection between the tubing of Duke Point, the passionate entreaties of Norske, the contributions of Norske to the Liberals and the amazing coincidence of Gary Collins bringing his skills as a flying instructor to Norske's Board. No, I aver nothing and merely ask - can any of these dots be connected? Rafe Mair, TheTyee.ca ... more 18 Jul 2005 BC Hydro: F2006 Open Call for Power Advance notice to bidders: in the fall of 2005, BC Hydro will be formally posting a call for 1000 GWh of power. Half the power will be "BC Clean"; the rest may all be coal-fired or garbage-fired. Overview: F2006 Open Call for Power Call Documents: F2006 Open Call for Power ... more 18 Jul 2005 Electricity imports can give us a nasty shock BC Hydro is a very large organization and, as such, it tends to behave like a very large ship -- namely, the Titanic. Brian Lewis, The Province ... more 17 Jul 2005 Independent producers vital to the grid We [at BC Hydro] value the Independent Power Producers of B.C. (IPPBC) and its individual members. Bev Van Ruyven, Times Colonist ... more 17 Jul 2005 Pristine Power complains to BCUC and BC Hydro DPP is dismayed and shocked by BC Hydro's decision and submits that a complete explanation should be provided to the Commission 1. Loyola Keogh, solicitor for Pristine Power, to the BCUC 2. Jeff Myers of Pristine Power, to Bev van Ruyven of BC Hydro 3. Jeff Myers to Bob Elton of BC Hydro ... more 13 Jul 2005 BC Hydro moves to calm private power producers Representatives of BC Hydro and independent power producers met on Tuesday in a bid to head off a crisis of confidence in Hydro's support for private-sector electricity projects. Hydro was saying little about the meeting, involving president and CEO Bob Elton and Independent Power Producers association of B.C. president Steve Davis. Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun IPPBC blasts BC Hydro over Duke Point cancellation ... more 13 Jul 2005 US and China Slipping Into a Conflict Over Oil Occasionally, there are tipping-point moments and we are witnessing one at the moment. Seismic change is afoot. As oil prices breach $60 a barrel and pessimists warn that the world could be as little as 10 years away from a first-order resources crisis, China’s largest oil company, CNOOC, has launched a $18.5 billion bid for one of the US’s juiciest medium-sized oil companies, Unocal. Will Hutton, Aljazeerah ... more 12 Jul 2005 IPPBC blasts BC Hydro over Duke Point cancellation The same day that B.C. Hydro hiked its estimate of how much power it's going to need from independent producers and welcomed them to start bidding, those same producers delivered a strongly worded letter to the utility's boss urging him to come clean about what's really going on. Jilted power producers give Hydro a strong jolt Les Leyne, Times Colonist, 09 Jul 2005 Liberal tactics spark private-sector distrust Michael Smyth, The Province, 12 Jul 2005 Power producers blast Hydro move Brian Lewis, The Province, 12 Jul 2005 Power producers clarify Steve Davis, IPPBC, The Province, 15 Jul 2005 ... more 11 Jul 2005 Hydro project will provide power for band's future China Creek near Port Alberni is drawing a lot of visitors these days as it's readied for a new role in providing for the Hupacasath band's future. It's poised to become the province's first new run-of-river hydro project, due to come on stream this fall. Chief Judith Sayers says the project was compatible with their values, and has potential to produce revenue -- $1.5 million a year after the construction debt is repaid Don Cayo, Vancouver Sun ... more 09 Jul 2005 Northern pipeline moving forward Enbridge Inc. is set to announce this week it will start field work on its proposed $2.5-billion pipeline from the Alberta oil sands to B.C.'s northwest coast, the latest step in pushing the mega-project forward by the end of the decade. Gordon Hoekstra, Prince George Citizen ... more 06 Jul 2005 Norske powered by Gary Collins? Environmentalists celebrated with glee June 17 when BC Hydro abandoned the Duke Point natural gas power plant and the $120 million it had invested over 11 years. But also in a party hearty mood was forest industry giant Norske Canada and former B.C. Liberal Finance Minister Gary Collins. Bill Tieleman, 24 Hours Bill Tieleman on the Rafe Mair show, 11 Jul 2005 (13 mb WAV) Rafe Mair editorial, 13 Jul 2005 (9 mb WAV) ... more 05 Jul 2005 'LNG plant? Bring it on,' folks say in town built by industry for industry Three strong possibilities for Kitimat's near future are a $500-million LNG terminal by Kitimat/Galveston LNG Inc., a $60-$70 million sand, rock and gravel export operation by Cascadia Materials Inc., and a deep-water terminal and tank farm proposed by Enbridge at the end of a 1,200-kilometre, $2.5-billion oil pipeline from the tar sands at Fort McMurray. Don Cayo, Vancouver Sun ... more 05 Jul 2005 Water fight in Kitimat Kitimat Mayor Richard Wozney is making the political case to anyone who will listen, as to why the company shouldn't be allowed to sell power. He wants Alcan to stop using ultra-cheap water -- a B.C.-owned resource it gets the use of under a contract signed in 1950 -- to generate what he estimates to be 1,000-per-cent profits. Don Cayo, Vancouver Sun ... more 04 Jul 2005 Northland Power joins Compliance Energy to develop a 49 MW waste wood/coal power plant Compliance Energy Corporation announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Northland Power Inc. to jointly develop a 49MW waste wood/coal power plant to be located at a former mine site near Princeton, BC. Compliance Energy press release, May 26, 2005 ... more 03 Jul 2005 A Livable Shade of Green Newly released data show that Portland, America's environmental laboratory, has achieved stunning reductions in carbon emissions. It has reduced emissions below the levels of 1990, the benchmark for the Kyoto accord, while booming economically. Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times ... more 03 Jul 2005 Duke Point power - an end that marks a beginning The Duke Point Power project in Nanaimo has finally been declared dead. BC Hydro has cancelled its agreement with Pristine Power of Calgary for the $285 million project and will now rely on other means and strategies for meeting the Island's electricity needs. Ray Grigg, Courier-Islander ... more 01 Jul 2005 Hydro's earnings surge by $291 million for year Despite low water levels in the Pacific Northwest in the past year and higher energy costs, BC Hydro announced a net income of $402 million for the fiscal year 2005, an increase of $291 million over fiscal 2004, according to Hydro's annual report released Wednesday. Gerry Bellett, Vancouver Sun Brian Lewis, The Province ... more 30 Jun 2005 Neufeld defends Duke decision The cancellation of the Duke Point power project did not cost B.C. ratepayers $120 million, as suggested by Mike Smyth. Richard Neufeld, The Province ... more 28 Jun 2005 Tomgram: Michael Klare on a Saudi Oil Bombshell Everything you've heard about those inexhaustible supplies of Saudi oil, which are supposed to keep the world floating for decades, simply isn't so. Tom Englehardt, www.TomDispatch.com ... more 27 Jun 2005 Change of Energy BC Hydro shocked us all late last week, when it announced that the Duke Point power plant project was toast. Alisa Gordaneer, Monday Magazine ... more 27 Jun 2005 Duke Point's demise puts Site C back in picture What the heck is going on at B.C. Hydro? Following its decision to abandon the Duke Point project, Regardless, we'll still need more electricity if B.C.'s economy is to continue flourishing. So, where do we go from here? Welcome to Site C, the long-shelved hydro-electric mega-project slated for the Peace River near Fort St. John. Brian Lewis, The Province Paul Willcocks, Prince George Citizen Globe and Mail, 28 June 2005 ... more 26 Jun 2005 Television coverage of Duke Point Power decision BCTV and Shaw television coverage of BC Hydro's decision to abandon the Duke Point Power project. ... more 26 Jun 2005 Media medley following Duke Point decision Items from news media following BC Hydro's decision to abandon the Duke Point Power project. ... more 26 Jun 2005 Death of project won't bring chaos B.C. Hydro's dramatic cancellation of the Duke Point Power electricity purchase agreement has triggered outrage and heated rhetoric, including demands for inquiries, visions of never-ending regulatory reviews and the by-now-standard myth about looming blackouts. Thomas Hackney, Times Colonist (Victoria) ... more 25 Jun 2005 $100-M Terasen facility `up in air' The future of Terasen's proposed $100 million liquefied natural gas storage facility in Cassidy is "up in the air" now that BC Hydro has terminated the agreement to build a gas-fired electrical generation plant at Duke Point. Robert Barron, Nanaimo Daily News ... more 25 Jun 2005 Make pipe decision The Alaska government is growing impatient with Ottawa over the delay in making a decision on the Canadian leg of the massive US$20-billion Alaska natural gas pipeline. Peter Morton, National Post ... more 22 Jun 2005 Little guys win one An amazing victory was achieved by Valley residents and the many others who fought the various incarnations of B.C. Hydro's gas-fired generating plant at Duke Point. Editorial, Cowichan Valley Citizen ... more 22 Jun 2005 Premier warns against pointing fingers Premier Gordon Campbell says there are lessons to be learned from B.C. Hydro's decision to abandon the proposed Duke Point power project near Nanaimo. Canadian Press ... more 21 Jun 2005 BC Hydro abandons Duke Point plant; $120M investment lost Board of directors decided to avoid another battle with project's opponents BC Hydro abandoned its trouble-plagued Duke Point electricity project Friday, walking away from a $120-million investment and raising doubts about the supposed "risk" of blackouts on Vancouver Island. Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun Chronology, Vancouver Sun ... more 18 Jun 2005