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Dirty Power - Norske power plant burns gas, maybe coal, maybe waste rubber |
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Monday, July 11, 2005
by Bill Tieleman
"A good intention clothes itself with power."
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
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 BC Liberal Finance Minister Gary Collins.
That's because Norske stands to make tens of millions in profits by producing
electricity at its pulp and paper mills and selling it to an energy-starved
Vancouver Island.
Former BC Liberal Finance Minister Gary Collins joined Norske's Board just
weeks before Norske benefited from BC Hydro decision.
And who became the newest member of Norske's board of directors just six weeks
before the BC Liberal-appointed board of BC Hydro pulled the plug on Duke
Point? Why, Gary Collins.
But environmentalists have several reasons to put the champagne cork back in
the bottle.
After all, Norske also produces power by burning natural gas. But in addition,
Norske is testing producing electricity by burning coal — yes, coal — at its
Elk Falls pulp mill near Campbell River.
Norske only recently shelved its controversial plan to burn creosote-soaked
old railway ties, rubber tires, coal and waste wood to produce electricity at
its Crofton plant on Vancouver Island. It was public pressure, including a
rock concert protest by Neil Young and Randy Bachman last September, that
convinced Norske to back off.
Could potential windfall profits convince Norske to burn rubber for money once
again?
That Gary Collins would join the Norske board is hardly surprising — it is one
of the most Liberally connected corporations in BC, donating $25 000 to the
party since 2001.
Gordon Campbell's government has ensured that Norske representatives
practically control health care in Vancouver.
Keith Purchase, the BC Liberal-appointed chair of the Vancouver Coastal Health
Authority, is a Norske board member. J Trevor Johnston, also on the Norske
board, is another VCHA director.
And who is the Vancouver Coastal CEO who reports to Purchase and Johnston?
Ida Goodreau, who was a Norske senior vice-president in Norway before taking
the Vancouver Coastal job for $323 000 a year.
Want more Norske? Current BC Hydro board member Wanda Costuros was formerly
vice-president of Finance for Fletcher Challenge Canada, which was taken over
in 2000 by — Norske.
Questions need to be asked about how much Norske will profit from spearheading
efforts to kill Hydro's Duke Point project.
And Collins will profit too. Collins, who is now CEO of Harmony Airways, will
earn $25 000 a year for sitting on the Norske board, plus $1500 per board
meeting, plus $9000 for sitting on board committees, plus $1200 per committee
meeting.
That adds up to about $50 000 annually — a lot more than a lump of burning
coal.
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Bill Tieleman, president of West Star Communications, is one of BC's best
known political commentators and communicators. Read political commentary
from Bill every Tuesday in 24 hours, Vancouver's new free weekday newspaper
(also online). Bill also appears regularly on CBC Radio's Early Edition (AM
690). |
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