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dam-l Hydro contributes to demise of globe
To: dam-l @ sandelman.ottawa.on.ca
From: Will Braun
Date: 7/7/2000 4:30:51 PM
Subj: Re: dam-l (Fwd) [harmful-hydro] Wpg Free Press piece on
hydro/emissions
The following is in response to the Winnipeg Free Press article (Hydro
contributes to health of globe) distributed to this list earlier today by
Donne Flanagan, Press Secretary to Manitoba Premier Gary Doer.
Letter sent to Free Press Editor
Sent 7 June 2000
NOTE: Not published.
Hydro contributes to demise of globe
"Hydro contributes to health of globe" (June 1) portrayed Manitoba
’s
hydroelectric projects as a source of provincial pride. While I share the
writer’s emphasis on responsible use of resources, as a Manitoban who has
seen first hand the environmental and human impacts of the Churchill-Nelson
Hydro Project, I am not proud that my light switch connects me to
irresponsible and ongoing harm in the north.
While our utility markets its kilowatts in the U.S. as clean and
low-impact, thousands of kilometers of flooded shorelines are collapsing
into the Nelson River system. Entire islands are eroding down the river to
the sea, and shorelines are not expected to restabilize for 200 to 300
years. Hydro has re-engineered the province’s largest lake and two largest
rivers, reversing seasonal water regimes.
Even the Chair of the Manitoba Hydro Board and the Premier’s office
recently stated that they “did not quarrel” with the preliminary findings
of the 1999 inter-church panel of inquiry which characterized the
Churchill-Nelson Project as "an ecological and moral catastrophe."
According to Dr. A. Netherton, a socially and environmentally reckless
approach to the Churchill-Nelson Project ended up treating Aboriginal
peoples as "necessary casualties of the modernization process." In order
to produce "cheap" power, the once beautiful Cree homeland was devastated,
with far reaching socio-economic impacts.
Are hydro dams a desirable alternative to fossil fuel power generation, as
suggested? If North American society would invest as much in conservation
and truly renewable energy (wind, solar, localized production) as we do in
environmentally short-sighted mega-projects we could make better use of
resources and come out ahead economically. (Our utility has incurred a $5
billion debt by building dams.) If Canadians were as energy efficient as
some European countries, we could save between $10 and 20 billion a year.
I am not proud that my hydro rates are subsidized by ongoing social and
ecological destruction. What I am proud of is the growing number of
environmental, faith and student groups in Manitoba and beyond taking
responsibility for Manitoba’s northern hydro disaster and joining together
in promoting truly sustainable and equitable ways of addressing energy
needs. The invitation and inspiration behind this movement is the creative
struggle of the Pimicikamak Cree Nation at Cross Lake, Manitoba which is
boldly fighting to protect and rehabilitate a large portion of the
environment we all share.
Will Braun
Mennonite Central Committee
Energy Justice Coordinator
[ On 07/07/2000 04:30:40 PM, "D. Murray" <dianne@sandelman.ottawa.on.ca>
wrote: ]
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</color>To:
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From: <color><param>0000,0000,8000</param>"Donne Flanagan"
<<dflanagan@leg.gov.mb.ca></color>
Date sent: <color><param>0000,0000,8000</param>Fri, 07 Jul 2000
21:00:08 -0000</color>
Send reply to:
<color><param>0000,0000,8000</param>harmful-hydro@egroups.com</color>
<bold>Subject:
<color><param>0000,0000,8000</param>[harmful-hydro] Wpg Free Press piece on
hydro/emissions reduction</bold></color>
<underline><color><param>0000,8000,0000</param>[ Double-click this line for
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Focus
Hydro contributes to health of globe
Val Werier
06/01/2000
Winnipeg Free Press
Metro
a11
All material copyright Thomson Canada Limited or
its licensors. All rights reserved.
Val Werier
I get fed up with all this carping about how badly off we are, how we
are taxed to death. The brain drain we keep hearing about invites the
conclusion that we must be a nation of dolts now that all the smart
people have left.
Well, in some ways Manitoba's star shines brightest on the continent.
In contrast to states to the south, which obtain their power from
burning coal, Manitoba gets 98 per cent of its electricity from the
flow of water, a clean and sustainable source of energy. Manitoba
indeed is fortunate to be blessed with such natural resources. Only
Quebec obtains about the same proportion of energy from hydro. B.C.
comes next with 85 per cent.
Manitoba, considering the whole rate structure, has the lowest rates
for electricity on the continent, says Glenn Schneider, manager of
public affairs with Manitoba Hydro.
Rewarding
Even more rewarding, in my view, is Manitoba's contribution to the
health of the globe.Manitoba started exporting power to the U.S. in a
serious way in 1971 and since that time it is estimated it has
reduced emissions of carbon dioxide in the U.S. by 157 million tons!
The emissions are reduced by displacing coal with hydroelectric
power.
As a result, we are cutting down on greenhouse gases, which
contribute to the grave problem of global warming, by substituting
our hydro power for coal-burning utilities in the States.
Hydro now exports to 13 states, as far south as Texas through a power
grid. Minnesota and North Dakota are the big importers. The impact is
striking. The amount of power exported to these two states is
equivalent to reducing their consumption of coal by 85 million tons
since 1971.
In the year ending March 31, Manitoba exported $350 million worth of
power to the U.S. Manitoba can produce about 5,000 megawatts of power
annually, with a peak consumption of 3,500 megawatts.
Emissions
Manitoba Hydro proudly asserts that it leads all Canadian electrical
utilities in its commitment to reduce emissions, a claim backed by
the Pembina Institute, a leading environmental think-tank in Alberta.
Only two per cent of electricity produced in Manitoba is not
generated by water. Even here Hydro has been diligent in reducing
emissions. At
Brandon, four of the five standby coal-burning units were shut down
in 1996. Natural gas combustion units, which produce half of the
emissions, will be installed in 2002.
As well, nine remote communities, formerly supplied by local diesel-
fuelled units, were connected to the provincial power system in the
1990s. There are still four remote centres served by diesel power.
Hydro plans to build more water-generated plants to reduce reliance
on fossil fuels. This would also allow a rise in exports and
reduction of greenhouse gas elsewhere.
We should count our blessings. Most electrical utilities rely on
fossil fuels and are a major source of pollution.
The atmosphere enveloping the Earth is a wondrous system, so
protective and delicately balanced. Greenhouse gases, particularly
carbon dioxide, are warming this envelope with potentially drastic
results. The impact is already evident in Manitoba in the life
patterns of polar bears, due to warming temperatures and its effect
on habitat.
Reduce
The answer is to reduce consumption of fossil fuels and increase
efficiency, particularly with cars that are the chief producers of
greenhouse gases. North Americans -- the biggest consumers of energy
-- are not too concerned.
A move to cut consumption under Hydro's Power Smart program has
reduced the demand for electricity in Manitoba by 135 megawatts since
1990. That is the equivalent to the output of the Great Falls plant
on the Winnipeg River that would cost about $135 million to replace.
This amount of power available for export to the U.S. represents
savings equal to the consumption of one million tons of coal. The
target is to reduce consumption in Manitoba by a further 180
megawatts by the year 2011.
We in Manitoba can play a special role in reducing greenhouse gases
not only in our province but abroad; a philosophy that we all share
this world.
Val Werier is a Winnipeg writer. His column appears on Thursdays.
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