Letters: Minister Ralston defends clear electrical energy buying and selling

Article content material

Re: Douglas Todd: With a Russian battle threatening, it’s time to rethink nuclear energy

Article content material

In an opinion piece selling nuclear vitality printed Feb. 12, Douglas Todd suggests B.C. Hydro is importing soiled, coal-generated electrical energy from america. I’d prefer to set the file straight.

Ninety-eight per cent of the electrical energy that B.C. Hydro generates is clear or renewable, and we’ve a number of it — B.C. Hydro has an vitality surplus that’s forecast by means of the 2020s. This surplus, and the pliability of B.C. Hydro’s community of hydroelectric amenities present alternatives for Hydro’s buying and selling subsidiary Powerex to promote wholesale energy to different jurisdictions linked to the western grid when market costs are excessive, and import electrical energy when costs are low. B.C. Hydro is a internet exporter of electrical energy, which means they promote greater than they buy.

Article content material

Over the previous three years, buying and selling on the electrical energy market has resulted in about $1 billion in income for Hydro that it makes use of to assist preserve charges reasonably priced for patrons. Lately, robust authorities local weather insurance policies on either side of the border have reshaped the western energy grid, and the electrical energy traded into and out of B.C. by Powerex and its buying and selling companions is cleaner right now than it has ever been. In January 2021, Powerex adopted a Clear Power Commerce Customary that ensures B.C.’s clear electrical energy exports should not backfilled by imports of non-clean electrical energy generated by coal, pure fuel or unspecified assets.

As a part of the CleanBC Roadmap, we’re dedicated to constructing on Powerex’s customary by legislating a 100-per-cent Clear Electrical energy Customary that might require Hydro to make sure the quantity of fresh era it produces, or acquires, will equal or exceed the quantity of vitality utilized by its grid-connected clients. I can guarantee British Columbians that our transition to a low-carbon future is, and can proceed to be, powered by clear electrical energy.

Article content material

Bruce Ralston Minister of Power, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation

School of Physicians and Surgeons responds to Bramham column

Re: Daphne Bramham: As authorities fiddles on foreign-trained medical doctors, B.C. residents endure

The School wish to right a misinterpreted assertion that appeared in Daphne Bramham’s March 1 article on worldwide medical graduates. The article addresses the scarcity of physicians within the province and mentions the brand new “affiliate doctor” class of registration, accepted in 2020, as a pathway for worldwide graduates.

Within the article, the School is quoted as saying the well being authorities that might be using affiliate physicians had been centered on different priorities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The article erroneously made the leap from that quote to saying the School “blames the well being authorities for dropping the ball” on the affiliate doctor program.

Article content material

To be clear, this isn’t about blame. COVID compelled all the well being authorities to place surgical procedures on maintain, reprioritize initiatives, and redeploy assets to deal with a worldwide well being disaster. The School’s assertion articulated a actuality that many health-care establishments needed to face throughout the pandemic — a actuality I’m positive lots of your readers can relate to in their very own work and lives. If something, the School is appreciative of the selections made by well being authority management and acknowledges their super efforts all through the pandemic.

Incorrect assumptions inadvertently trigger misunderstanding between the numerous companions concerned within the affiliate doctor program and normal well being human resourcing. Opposite to the sentiment portrayed within the article, the School is dedicated to working with the well being authorities and different companions to deal with our province’s well being human resourcing points.

Article content material

For its half, which means the School will proceed to make sure those that apply to practise drugs in B.C. meet the required necessities and have the suitable {qualifications}, no matter the place they graduated from medical faculty. That additionally means sustaining strong licensing requirements and necessities in order that B.C. sufferers can obtain the absolute best care from their doctor or surgeon.

Heidi Oetter, MD registrar and CEO, School of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia

Charlie Satisfaction ought to have been included in Black Opry article

Re: Elevating their voices; Nation music has sidelined artists of color for many years. Black Opry is altering

I loved studying the March 1 article concerning the Black Opry by Emily Yahr: “Elevating Their Voices — Nation music has sidelined artists of color for many years”.

Article content material

However I saved on the lookout for and to my shock didn’t discover any point out of the title of maybe the best-known Black nation artist of all occasions — the one and solely, not too long ago deceased (December, 2020) and the recipient of quite a few awards, together with the Nation Music Affiliation’s Entertainer of the Yr and twice the High Male Vocalist — Charlie Satisfaction. He had 30 No.-1 hits on the American nation charts and three Grammys, amongst different awards.

Odd Grydeland, Campbell River

Letters to the editor ought to be despatched to sunletters@vancouversun.com. CLICK HERE to report a typo.

Is there extra to this story? We’d like to listen to from you about this or some other tales you assume we should always find out about. E-mail vantips@postmedia.com.