Having lived on coal fired energy

January 9, 2003

Having lived on coal fired energy

Matt DeBock - Miner Columnist

I was born and raised in rural Alberta, not far from Luscar's Paintearth coal mine and accompanying Battle River Generating Station.

As a result, I have had a passing acquaintance with coal-generated electricity through most of my life. I always had the awareness that when I turned on a light switch, it was Alberta's coal industry that provided the power.

Never do I remember any major problems with the nearby coal-fired plant. Its major contribution to the region has been to diversify a local economy largely dependent on oil and agriculture, while contributing to the province's power grid.

The vast majority of all power produced in our neighbouring province comes from coal, yet here in B.C., not a single light bulb has been lit with coal, despite great quantities of the resource.

This has gone one while B.C. has been Canada's largest net importer - yes, importer - of electricity. I suspect this comes as a surprise to many British Columbians, who think of the province's hydroelectric projects and natural gas. However, these have not been adequate to meet the demands of a growing province.

Instead of using its own natural resources to meet the growing needs of its consumers, the province has looked outside its borders, buying the necessary power on open markets.

This expense to provincial taxpayers may soon be on the decline, however, as the province has introduced its emissions standards to govern coal-fired power stations.

This is a long overdue move, which will finally allow for the construction of a proposed power plant at the Fording River mine site - a project that has been awaiting these standards for more than a decade.

The $250-million development will be a boon to the Elk Valley on several levels. Not only will it be a leader in developing new made-in-B.C. electricity, helping to keep power costs in check, but the construction and eventual operation of the site will bring new jobs into the valley. As well, the plant will use waste coal, helping to use up a byproduct of the site's metallurgical mine operation.