Dear Editor,

Gordon Campbell once referred to BC Hydro as a “jewel.” Now, virtually bankrupt, B.C.’s jewel is more of a burden around the necks of hydro ratepayers. What happened? Government colluders and self-interest money vultures devised a way into your wallet — via your hydro bill, that’s what.

Alarm bells should have rung when Campbell snuck BC Hydro’s purchase and billing departments to offshore, Accenture. Then Campbell faked an energy crisis, and  passed the Clean Energy Act. This act essentially transformed BC Hydro from a “producer of power” to a “purchaser of power.” Overnight party insiders became Independent Power Producers (IPPs). These IPPs signed lucrative agreements to sell spring-runoff power to BC Hydro — at rates many times market value. BC Hydro is obliged to buy this power, even though they don’t need it. It still goes on your hydro bill.

The nearly one-billion dollar Smart Meter program goes on your hydro bill, too. A billion dollars — one-thousand million-dollar bills — for a wireless network to blanket our province in microwaves. Its only conceivable purpose: deferential billing. A billion dollars on a private, single purpose, hi-tech network — for your meter — when many hydro customers are still on dial-up? A billion dollars could likely have got all of B.C. multi-purpose fibre-optics. More concerning, these meters may not be safe. Health effects of extended exposure to near microwave radiation, especially on the young, has not been tested. You will test it.

The Clark/Campbell government, combined with private corporate sapsuckers, have even grander plans for your wallet — the coming, secretly devised, plotted without oversight, $8-billion Site C Peace River hydro project.  Keep your eye on it. It could become the most lucrative “jewel” heist ever.

Bryan Stawychny

Edgewater