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Hydro’s income is fixed

In a recent interview, B.C. Minister of Energy and Mines Bill Bennett spilled the beans on hydro rates.

To the Editor,

In a recent interview, B.C. Minister of Energy and Mines Bill Bennett spilled the beans on hydro rates.

While trying to reassure listeners that B.C. Hydro cannot skew rates to make a windfall profit, he let slip that B.C. Hydro’s total income is fixed. But this also means any reduction in power consumption will inevitably result in higher hydro rates. In other words, if everybody cut their hydro use by 20 per cent, B.C. Hydro would be allowed to raise rates by 20 per cent to recover the lost revenue. It’s interesting we never see that advertised in any of B.C. Hydro’s conservation campaigns.

Trust the government to turn our conservation efforts into a mug’s game.

S.I. PetersenNanaimo