Power from Site C is no longer needed

Re: “Consider Europe’s green-energy experience,” column, Nov. 10.

Lawrie McFarlane spends 90 per cent of this column pointing out alleged limitations of renewable energy. In the last paragraph, he finally reaches his goal, pumping to continue Site C dam construction because $4 billion has already been spent. Consider some of the history he ignores.

This dam was proposed by the previous B.C. Liberal government to supply power for fracking natural gas in northern B.C. and for liquefying this natural gas for export.

This plan failed to take into account that natural gas prices were falling and the economics of building the necessary infrastructure did not work.

So, if those needs ceased to exist, what was the purpose of building Site C, a dam that will be very expensive, with ultimate costs that will far exceed the initial estimates?

The current government finally did what the Liberals failed to do and asked the B.C. Utilities Commission to determine if the dam was needed to supply electricity for the province. The answer was clear: It was not needed, not surprising since LNG exports have never materialized.

McFarlane wants to throw more money after the $4 billion already spent. What is then the basis for continuing to build the dam? His argument fails to consider the damage of continuing to build this dam, to agricultural land and to First Nations rights and culture.

It is time to stop spending money on a project that is no longer needed and will cause damage to the Peace River and its valley.

Edwin E. Daniel Victoria