In reply to Todd Whitcombe's column last week, a lot of us see the NDP having a very difficult decision.
Numbers can be used to favour the bias of the writer. So Whitcombe should have wrote "It boils down to it is very likely going to cost at least $10 billion (not in total, as this number does not include the other $1 billion for new transmission lines and other off-site costs) to complete the dam and at most $4 billion will be spent to stop the dam construction.
Some numbers from the report are $9.2 to $12.5 billion to complete the dam, again not including the outside infrastructure mentioned above, and $750 million to $2.3 billion for stopping, not including the $2.1 billion spent already. The $2.3 billion includes: $700 million for financing costs and developing alternative power.
The report hedges that additional electrical capacity is not likely going to be required anytime soon. I read it as at least 25 years in the future; as interestingly Hydro is yet to install Revelstoke's sixth turbine.
Based on averaging the above numbers, this ratepayer sees Site C continuing versus stopping, as paying another $8.2 billion for a B.C. Liberal and B.C. Hydro boondoggle.
Patrick Egan
Prince George
