HERE WE GO AGAIN, Mother Nature in Charge Nelson hydro customers Shafted

Mother Nature's Cycle Repeats

and your electric bill pays for a project, the result of a

phony engineers report showing a business case for the

Community Solar Garden

             Above is a typical year of Kootenay Lake level, spring runoff has begun once again.

Spring runoff refills Kootenay Lake, Duncan Lake and Lake Koocanusa (Libby Dam) storing over 6 million acre feet of water our winter batteries.  Power for millions of homes that all begins to draw down as shown above at the beginning of the year.

Spring runoff has begun, reservoirs are filling, dams overflowing, floods occurring, the sun has finally come out and begun to make solar power we don't need it now we can't even use all the water,  solar power that has the same value as the water spilling  $$ZERO$$.  $0.  Nada., nothing. Zip! 

In winter when we could use the solar power the solar garden made enough power for little more than one house. $400,000, payments of $24,000/yr for 25 years the life expectancy of solar panels and then they become toxic waste.

Nelson hydro can make that year of solar power for about $500 and sell for a 1400% profit.

Payments continue even when summer solar power has no value.


How did the Nelson hydro manager present a business case to city council for the solar garden?

How about asking him to show you. (UPDATE OCT 2020 the Hydro manager left)

I have, no comment.  I have asked mayor and council no comments.

He said it aligned with the city Path to 2040 all about GHG reduction, I have asked him how, he won't comment.

His contractor was on the radio saying community solar power would reach grid parity in 7 years, I asked him for the calculations, he won't comment.

The contractor and other media articles attributed to him said it would pay back in 10 or 12 years, I ask him to show me the calculations, he won't comment.

I ask why Nelson hydro pays full retail for Solar garden power, the Balfour public buildings solar power systems installed with public grant money a private microhydro producer and any others when the bylaw says they won't buy any power unless it makes economic sense for Nelson hydro?
No answer, city council won't answer.  No one will comment.

BullFrog Power contributed money, they sell this as green power to anyone dumb enough to
buy in, the City of Toronto one year bought in, when they figured it out, a reporter asked the
city manager will they renew the contract next year, he replied "it won't see the light of day"

The Solar garden was a political stunt, it was supposed to be voluntary and fully funded by anyone
opting in, that didn't happen, you and I pay with our hydro bills and will as long as it lasts
if it makes its 25 year life expectancy.

The project was dishonest and unethical from the outset.  In two consecutive yearly rate applications to the BCUC by Nelson hydro the manager stated the solar garden was FULLY funded by those opting in.  I have repeatedly asked him what FULLY funded means, because you and I pay, he won't respond.  Now the city uses the term Largely funded.  They try to spin it, reinvent it, but the lies can't be reinvented or changed.



Penticton looked at solar, they state on their  city web site solar would have to be subsidized over 50%.  Anyone familiar with BC knows Penticton gets more sun than Nelson, they grow peaches.

Kelowna planned a similar system the Utilities Commission denied it saying it was of no benefit to anyone even though those opting in would pay a premium for the solar power. 



The hydro manager and his consultant brought the city council what they wanted, a business case

for the solar garden even though there could never be one, did they think no one would ever know?
Professionals disrespecting their professional ethics, 
Disrepecting the public taxpayer and Nelson hydro customers left paying for this and the
remaining years left of the 25 year contracts.

I complained to the Association of Professional Engineers of BC they did nothing.

I have complained 
Past and present mayors and council have all the information

ACCOUNTABILITY ---- NONE

Update  Oct. 2020 the hydro manager left, unaccountable.  The city still won't tell the truth.

And all Nelson hydro customers are left paying for this scam.  Paying full retail for this feel good

solar power so that money can be distributed to the church groups co-ops and others who thought they were helping to save the planet buying a 25 year contract for the power of a solar panel.