Some answers that we aren't getting from EPCOR's Truth Squads

There is no shortage of total power in Alberta now or in the foreseeable future. However, there is a shortage of generating capacity in southern Alberta (Calgary and south) which needs to be addressed.

2. Will emissions from Rossdale go down when the new generator RD11 is installed?
Once RD11 is commissioned, the Rossdale plant would operate for more than 8000 hours per year (versus 3200 hours in 1998). Total emissions from the Rossdale site will increase accordingly. Emissions to the atmosphere and heat load to the river will be almost three times higher than they are today.

3. Is the Rossdale Expansion a good investment?
The RD11 project will put at risk approximately $140million of taxpayer money. It will have such a poor return on investment that there is a risk it will lose shareholder value for its investors (Edmonton taxpayers)

4. Are there other places where EPCOR could install new generating capacity?
Under de-regulation, EPCOR can build new facilities anywhere. There is a shortage of generating capacity in southern Alberta and that is where EPCOR should be focusing its energies.

5. Will the new unit be smaller than the existing unit?
For Phase 1 of the proposed expansion, it is proposed that the architecturally-significant Maxwell Dewar Building be demolished and replaced with a metal clad building. This will have about the same footprint as the existing building. When Phase 2 and Phase 3 are implemented, the footprint of the buildings will be much larger.

6. Will the new developments be kept within the existing perimeter of the Rossdale site?
No. The ERD site will be added to EPCOR's site and the ERD site will be used for industrial purposes. This will require a change in zoning from "Parkland" to "Public Utilities" for the ERD site. In addition, the EPCOR plans to rezone its current site from "Public Utilities" to "Industrial" making it almost impossible for anyone to object to any developments on that site. Public input into these zoning changes is not being encouraged.

7. Why has the price of electricity escalated so much in the last year or so?
There is no simple answer to this question but there are two main underlying causes. The first is the dramatic increase in the cost of natural gas which is the fuel of choice for new power generation. There used to be a surplus of gas in Alberta and as a result, Albertans enjoyed some of the lowest prices in the world. However, in the last year or so, there has been a massive increase in pipeline capacity to the US where demand for natural gas has skyrocketed due to conversion of homes from heating oil to natural gas and the expansion of the use of natural gas for electricity generation. This has eliminated the surplus of gas in Alberta and now we are paying US prices for this commodity. The second underlying cause of the power price increase is the situation in California. Construction of new power generation has not kept pace with demand and California is now short of power. California is now drawing all the excess power in western US and Canada to California by paying a hefty premium. Alberta used to be able to obtain any power shortfall from BC but now has to compete with California for that power.

There is no simple solution to this problem. But the construction of new generation in Alberta in locations where power is currently in short supply would be a good start. Rossdale is too small and in the wrong place to have any impact on this problem.

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