Letter to the Editor

I am responding to Mr. Rick Koechl’s blatantly incorrect letter of February 5. Mr. Koechl is as wrong as anyone can be with his comments about the new LNG eDrive rate for electricity.

Unlike what Mr Koechl claims, the eDrive rate for electricity charged to the recently announced Woodfibre LNG project is the same industrial rate paid by saw mills, pulp mills and mines – a much higher rate than any paid by ordinary consumers. I have seen other letters by Mr. Koechl and there is a pattern. He seems to think that by putting incorrect information about the BC Liberal government on the Internet that he will successfully mislead honest people.

The truth can be found on the BC Ministry of Energy & Mines website or the BC Hydro web site.

Mr. Koechl also does not want you to know that B.C. has some of the lowest electricity rates in North America (third lowest) and that 98% of our electricity is clean and renewable. The reason the Woodfibre project is receiving our industrial rate rather than the higher LNG rate is because the Woodfibre project has opted to use 100% clean B.C. electricity rather than natural gas to drive the compressors that will cool and liquefy the LNG.

I suppose Mr. Koechl is opposed to this too even though it will significantly reduce emissions.

Bill Bennett,

Minister of Energy & Mines BC

MLA, Kootenay East

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