Premier Ed Stelmach and Energy Minister Mel Knight tell us we need two large electrical transmission lines to service Calgary and Southern Alberta.
In the meantime, Calgary city council and its power supplier Enmax tell us these lines are totally unnecessary and will cost all Albertans billions of dollars in added expense!
The Alberta Utilities Commission could hold hearings, to hear from the engineers and analysts who do cost/benefits studies, to make an informed decision if these lines are needed. I would think that would make a lot of sense.
However, Knight has put forward Bill 50, which takes away this common-sense approach to decide if these lines are needed for the public interest of Albertans.
Now I am sure Knight is a pretty smart guy, but does he have the expertise of the electrical professionals who would be available to the Alberta Utilities Commission? Does he know more about electrical engineering and cost analysis than the proven experts?
Maybe Stelmach and Knight should reconsider Bill 50 and let the experts have their say. And maybe in the process save Albertans billions of dollars.
Douglas Malsbury
Penhold