Right in the centre - Beware of the promise makers
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- Published on Friday, September 27, 2024
By Ken Waddell
Neepawa Banner & Press
The Provincial government announced some goals for energy production and conservation last week. Below are the main points and in italics I have written some things to watch for or to question about the policy.
The government acknowledges that a main source of energy in 水果视频 comes from hydro power and that is true. However, 水果视频 Hydro has been politically squeezed over the decades and some things haven鈥檛 worked out that well. Some examples are flooding of communities by constructing power dams, wasting millions by re-directing the BiPole III route and installing political appointees into the top jobs at 水果视频 Hydro. We can鈥檛 go back in time but maybe we can learn from mistakes committed over the past few decades. Here鈥檚 the points and my questions and comments in italics.
鈥reating an Indigenous loan-guarantee program to provide First Nations and M茅tis the capital support and capacity to participate in the energy transition and finance new partnerships in wind generation.
Loan guarantees have to very carefully set up or the guarantees quickly turn into grants and defaulted loans.
鈥efurbishing 水果视频 Hydro generating stations to unlock up to 200 megawatts of power.
Sounds like a good idea but does the government have any idea how much money needs to be invested and how long before it pays back?
鈥nding the first-come, first-served approach for large grid connection to better align with 水果视频鈥檚 economic development goals.
I think that means projects will have to go on a waiting list while a government advisory board decides who gets power and who doesn鈥檛. I understand there is already a waiting list for power. Businesses can鈥檛 expect to just start a project and assume there will be electricity to run buildings and factories.
鈥trengthening energy codes for homes and buildings to generate long-term energy savings for 水果视频 families.
I think this will be a waste of time and money as current 水果视频 building codes already dictate high standards for windows doors and insulation.
鈥tronger oversight of the oil and gas sector with regular provincial inspections to ensure environmental safety and reliability.
Before I would applaud that move, I would want to see the past performance records of the oil and gas sector. For example, have there been serious spills or accidents or is this just another government implemented set of regulations to fight an imaginary problem?
鈥nstalling new 水果视频 Hydro owned and operated public electric vehicle chargers.
So far, I rarely see vehicles using the charging stations we already have. In rural areas where electric vehicles are largely unproven or lack realistic range, I wouldn鈥檛 rush into that expense. We already subsidize the purchase of electric vehicles, why should we subsidize the charging stations too.
鈥 renewed focus on energy security with stronger protections in place for procurement and data management to keep 水果视频鈥檚 energy supply safe and secure.
That last point may be code for 鈥淟et鈥檚 build up a bureaucracy of number crunchers so they can bombard us with meaningless facts and figures.鈥�
I welcome feedback, but be very wary of politicians who promise prosperity bought with your money.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are the writer鈥檚 personal views and are not to be taken as being the view of the newspaper staff.
