Examining spin on energy efficiency program

LETTERS

Can 79 per cent of the people be wrong? I refer to The Herald’s “Question of the Day,” asking readers if they think the province’s energy efficiency program has been worthwhile. The results, majority “No.”

When you read the story in the Aug. 28 Herald regarding CEO Monica Curtis in charge of Energy Efficiency Alberta, you would think “Yes.” Of course, she must put a positive spin on the program to justify her (I am guessing) high six-figure salary, with the billions the NDP Alberta government is wasting. The statistics she uses regarding water and electricity savings, well, as a friend of mine said regarding this, “I have read more truth in fairy tales.”

As a shareholder/taxpayer, when our CEO gives a report it should include factual data, like cost per house verses savings per household. In the past two years, I have converted my house to 90 per cent LED bulbs at my expense, Stupid, right? OK, I did take advantage of the government’s instant rebate on LED bulbs, sold through local retailers for $0.99, the only program that made sense to me. I went back three years on my electrical bills and if I give full credit to my LED bulb changeover, I saved 600 kWh at an average cost of $0.04 per kWh equals $24. I do not have AC so that is not a factor regarding the sweltering summer and electricity used.

My brother took advantage of the program and he was very happy with the results. It was a local business person, very professional and detailed and took about 45 minutes to complete the bulb and showerhead conversion. Now I am sure he was not getting paid $15 per hour, so what is the cost?

What always gets me upset regarding governments at all levels is they only tell you what is best for them and definitely not the truth or provide all the facts, be it energy efficiency, closing coal-fired generation or illegal border crossings. Just give us the facts and the cost; after all we are the ones paying the bills. Presently in Alberta we have very affordable electricity and that is because of coal-fired generation; when that is gone so will be our affordable electricity. We will be another Ontario where people must decide between food or power. Let’s not be another Ontario with the largest per capita debt in Canada, $300 billion.

Barrie Orich

Lethbridge