Premier backtracks on transmission system, faces accusations of political interference
By Christopher Walsh, editor
The Alberta Utilities Commission announced Friday morning they would be suspending three multi-billion dollar massive transmission lines at the government’s demand, but by afternoon Premier Alison Redford reversed the decision to suspend the Heartland power transmission project, instead identifying it as a necessary power line that needs to proceed.
Redford’s decision to overturn the suspension has corrupted the entire process, says Keith Wilson, a lawyer who has been fighting the transmission upgrade system. He says Redford’s comments could amount to political interference on a project that still has not received official approval by the AUC and questions her motives for the reversal.
“I don’t know if somebody got to her or what, but this is deeply troubling,” he said. “She should know better as the premier and she should know better as a lawyer not to interfere in the manner that she has. She has now tainted the entire hearing process. There is no going back.”
The AUC decision on the Heartland transmission system that would provide more power for residents and industries around the area just north of Edmonton, was expected Monday.
AUC director of external affairs, Jim Law, says the decision on whether the project will proceed will be released some time next week. He added the AUC’s role in reviewing the Heartland application is not to determine need.
“But rather the routing and whether the preferred or the alternate routing which, if any is in the public interest, given the environmental, social and economic considerations,” he said. “But not the need for the project.
“Right now, under legislation, these are deemed as critical infrastructure projects.”
The legislation that gives the government the right to determine if power line upgrades are needed and in the best interest of the public without a public needs assessment, became law when Bill 50 was passed in 2009.
Landowner rights advocate Joe Anglin says Redford’s decision Friday shows the government has overstepped its boundaries by determining which projects proceed without a fair review process.
The decision to suspend the north-south running eastern and western transmission lines shows a lack of understanding on the government’s part that Heartland will essentially be used to link the other two, he says.
“If the eastern line isn’t built, the Heartland line is a $580 million bridge to nowhere. In this case, a transmission line to nowhere,” Anglin said. “That’s why cabinet cannot make these decisions, they don’t know what they’re doing, they don’t understand the transmission grid.”
Anglin and Wilson are calling on Redford to repeal Bill 50 and put all transmission lines on hold until a proper needs assessment can be carried out by the AUC or the Alberta Electrical System Operator.
“The first thing that has to happen is that we have to reinstate the law that says we do this in the public interest. Most people don’t realize we repealed that law,” said Anglin who will be running for the Wildrose Party in Rocky Mountian House-Sundre.
AESO and the AUC’s credibility has been called into question, Anglin added, based on the decisions made over the last few years that is slowly putting into place $16 billion worth of transmission upgrades that aren’t needed.
“Their independence and objectivity is questionable,” Anglin said. “They have not acted as if they are at arm’s length away from the government. That’s what’s created this massive problem.”
Alison Redford blamed the reversal on “miscommunication” between interested parties within government. The AUC was acting on a letter dated Oct. 19, from Energy Minister Ted Morton asking the utility regulator to suspend the Heartland project as well as the eastern and western transmission lines.
“I believe it’s a critical transmission project,” Redford said about the Heartland line. No repeal of Bill 50 is on the horizon, added Jay O’Neill, the premier’s spokesman.
O’Neill says representatives from Alberta Energy will be reviewing the eastern and western lines in the coming months before asking the AUC to look at them again.
“Maybe we need to take a step back and look at both lines and take into consideration everything that’s going on from an economic perspective, cost perspective, impacts to industry and consumers. All those things should be looked at before the process for those other two lines continue,” O’Neill said.
Wilson says he has no faith in the province to do the right thing anymore and says he will file an injunction to stop the Heartland line if the AUC approves it next week.
“I’m astounded by the apparent lack of management by the premier’s office on the critical decisions that the new government is making. This is a huge decision,” he said.
“For them to blow that, I say ‘wow, who’s managing the premier’s office’? There’s obviously a problem there.”
Wildrose energy critic Paul Hinman says the government needs to repeal Bill 50 as soon as possible. He says Redford’s flip-flopping reminds him of former Premier Ed Stelmach.
“So she has the wherewithal to know that Stelmach, her and her cabinet ministers were wrong two years ago [when Bill 50 was passed],” Hinman said about suspending the lines. “They have zero integrity, they put their party first before the people of Alberta in passing this bill and these individuals are all guilty of that. This is what’s wrong with their government.”
Category: Alberta
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