Article content

In response to Val Litwin’s opinion piece, “Clean technology driven by Site C,” on May 18. There are some claims and assumptions in this article that don’t pass even the simplest fact-check challenge, including:

• Claim: B.C.’s projected one-million population increase over the next decade will need far more electrical power.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Opinion: Fact check on Site C and clean tech Back to video

• Fact check: Improbable. In the most-recent, 10-year period, 2006-16, B.C.’s population increased by 534,000 (12 per cent), but domestic demand for B.C. Hydro grid power actually decreased by two per cent. Widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) will need power, but the present surplus, smart meters and time-of-use electricity rates should be sufficient to deal with any foreseeable power demands from EVs.

• Claim: B.C. Hydro demand projections show a capacity deficit of eight per cent and an energy deficit of two per cent in 10 years.

• Fact check: Improbable. B.C. Hydro’s current generation capacity of 70 terawatt-hours (TWh) is well in excess of urgent domestic demand (50 TWh) and the safety margin needed for unexpected outages and demand peaks. Domestic demand has flatlined for the past 10 years, a trend that is likely to continue for the next decade. B.C. Hydro’s demand projections have proven to be consistently overstated — and totally ignore B.C.’s low-cost 4.3-TWh entitlement under the Columbia River Treaty, turbine No. 6 at Revelstoke and alternative renewable sources (wind, solar, geothermal and tidal).