There's a lot of talk about "green power" in British Columbia, but are initiatives like privately developed "run of river" power projects really green? Few citizens seem to be aware that companies have applied for such projects on streams throughout the province -- and that they are using our water for free while selling their power to BC Hydro at higher rates than the public utility charges.
Run-of-river is being spun as green, but it looks more like death by a thousand cuts.
Problems with these projects include the amount of water diverted (up to 80%!), the roads built to get access to streams to build the plants, the swaths cut through forests for power lines.... It goes on and on. Companies are already trying to get land removed from parks for their construction.
I urge people to check out the video series "Power Play: The Theft of BC's Rivers" at the Save Our Rivers Society website.
Thanks to the Pacific Streamkeepers Federation for making me aware of these videos.
Posted by Paul at February 15, 2008 07:19 PM